Please watch this video before reading my comments. Thanks to Maggie for posting it on her blog.
http://current.com/items/89609576/what_is_your_definition_of_religion.htm
Then consider this:
It is my opinion that saying that your religion is the ONLY religion is similar to saying that my country is the best country. If that doesn't seems to strike a chord, you must believe that your country is the best country. I wonder how many billions of people would disagree with that.
I realize that many Americans believe that we must stay loyal to America despite our concerns with it's practices and policies, because this country gives us so much. For the most part, I agree. I think America is a wonderful place to live. I don't always agree with our policies and practices. That does not make me anti-American. It makes me want America to be better. Just as I believe I am always growing to be a better person.
Religions across the world not only believe that they have the only path to God, they talk about it. I don't think that the belief is what gets us into trouble as much as the talking about it. The bragging, the teasing, the I-am-better-than-you-are mentality. The stronger you believe that your way is the only way (which many say is required for "TRUE" faith) the stronger you react to anything that is different from your way. Your EGO says "fight" when challenged. Your EGO is not GOD. Your EGO is the voice in your head that says "I need to be right or I am nothing".
It is the same larger EGO that nations hold when they bully, fight and go to war. One nation believes that their government holds the key to everlasting peace and prosperity. The other believes that peace and prosperity come through THEIR form of government. Asking the officials of either nation how the individuals in their country feel about their policies will not garnish an honest answer - you must ask the people themselves. If you ask ME: if a country really wants to do good in the world they would stop genocide. But genocide is largely ignored. I want people across the world to be loved, safe and happy. If that means that they choose another form of government, so be it. If we push people to accept democracy, we can't whine and cry when they push us to accept something other than democracy.
If we ask a religious head what each individual member believes, I do not think that we would hear ONE version of the truth across the membership, among ANY religion. The real truth is you can only know what you believe. You cannot know that what you believe is the best for everyone, the right path for everyone, the only way for anyone but you.
Religion is a personal experience among a doctrine of perceived truths. Your personal experience cannot and never will be the same as any other member of that religion. You may have similarities and understandings, or you may be so far from anothers beliefs that you barely recognize them as a fellow human. But the truth is the only similarity we all share is our humanity. In our humanity what we need more than anything is love, understanding, respect, and kindness. If you are unable to give that away freely, how can you stand in anger when it cannot or will not be given to you? I am happy to be American, I am blessed. I do not believe for a moment, though, that I am better than a Canadian, a Mexican, an Iraqi, a Colombian, a Norwegian, etc. I am just me. I have my beliefs based on how I make sense of this world and they work for me. I think any member of any other nation or religion can have just as much assurance in their beliefs as I have in mine and NOT offend or take away from mine IN THE SLIGHTEST. I mean that. Not at all.
Fighting for anything just causes more fighting. So it would also make sense that love might just cause more love. Peace, more peace. Acceptance, more acceptance. Respect, more respect. GET IT??? BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD. You be it. If you can be it first, I bet you anything - others will follow. (Thanks to Ghandi for his wise words)
3 comments:
Hi, Katie—
I agree with you in principle, meaning I think we're on the same side on this. Your overall message resonates with me, and so I applaud you for what you said. I like the way you expressed the message, and it's an important one.
To that I would add that some things would seem to be universal individual values. Justice, freedom, honesty, personal property, as examples. I would submit that most every unoppressed and uncoddled body of people would eventually desire these. The unfortunate thing is that when power is mixed in, the governing bodies sometimes don't choose these things for the people under them, and so are not representative of the basic will of the human spirit. So, we can recognize governments who are oppressive in this manner, and try to discourage it peacefully.
I think that goes along with your example of genocide. A country practicing genocide isn't really seen by us on the same level as our system(s), nor should it be (in terms of the system). Systems of government can be, more objectively than not, weighed against one another in terms of how they treat their people and how they interact with other nations. There's micro-government, within a nation, and then there's macro-government, for how nations mesh in the global community. We would all pretty much recognize that in micro-government it's healthy to strive for an ideal against competing forces. For us, we want to make our country better. I believe this can also be applied to some extent on the macro, or global, level. We have less say over what another country does, but if they go too far and we let them get away with it, the eventual consequences could be dire. Of course, what constitutes "too far" is another question altogether.
When I look at the U.S., I think of the ideals that it's founded on, and that's what I consider to be an apt model for the world. I don't think we've necessarily acted appropriately on those ideals, though. But either way, as you said, it doesn't make Americans any better than people elsewhere.
As to religion, I agree that all humans, regardless of their faith, should be respected and loved as fellow human beings, and that religions should show more compassion for all people. I couldn't belong to a religion that didn't do that. There's too much backbiting between religions.
I would distinguish between compassion and avoiding calls to improve ourselves, because Christ effectively utilized both in the affirmative without either being compromised. If there was something morally amiss, he was unapologetic about bringing it up. Calling people to improve is indeed a fine line, because we certainly don't want to try to control those who are peaceably going about their business.
I think this is where religion and politics part somewhat, because religion claims authority from God, which would put it another level above politics. If we are to assume that authority, then it would eliminate the perceived subjective nature of one system versus another. Many religions don't claim ultimate authority, but many others do. If we believe that God's authority is found in a particular religion, then that would naturally be our ideal. At the same time, we can express differences respectfully between religions, and not have an attitude that it somehow makes us better people, so I do see what you're saying there.
What do you think?
Whoa! Big post over here. Why don't you tweet your new blog posts anymore? I look for that to know you've updated. But I'm just starting to use a Google reader and I've added you now.
I loved it when the British woman said we need a "charter for our souls". Ahhhhh! Isn't that awesome?!
There isn't anything here for me to say that Rusty hasn't either said or will say.
Again, I love your clean blog look and the light pink and your cute photo.
hi katie,
i just found your blogspot. nice post...
i figured you write about it much better than i do - and maybe some of my readers might like to hear first hand what an American feels as well. straight from the heart.
may i have your permission to cut and paste some parts of your write-up, and attach the link for the full article from my website pls?
i've signed in under my blogspot so you can check it out as well before you say yes or no. :) it's more of a fun blog, sort my thoughts out. but it can get a little heavy sometimes. we try to balance it out. would you let me know if its ok? :)
thanks again and God speed!
reeza
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