Wherever we live on this beautiful crazy planet we are being bombarded with daily headlines that sadly reveal a rapidly growing worldwide clash of cultures and values. Examine any culture or value and you will find their ethical roots entwined deeply in their own particular historical and religious development over the ages. This ever developing clash of ideals lurks menacingly just below the surface of every faith and culture. When these lurking ideals finally clash they will create as much or more mayhem in the world as any of the other great steps in culture evolution in the past have brought.
This erupting struggle of cultures and values caused me to ask, "What single idea or perspective is the real cause of this ecclesiastical struggle that is now spilling over into every domain?" Over the last two hundred years or so, societies have been expanding beyond their borders, while at the same time struggling with their isolationism. What has caused this dynamic tension amongst the cultures of the world? I believe it was and is the coming to age of the rapid communications and travel systems that are universally available.
Before this current and almost unbelievable expansion of information humanity seemed to live somewhat happily ever after within their own lands and within their own comfortable religious and cultural ideals and laws. And now, this new increasing access of information is allowing we citizens of the world to know so much more about one another. Maintaining an isolationism of peoples and faiths is growing more difficult each and everyday. In one way or another, we keep finding new needs for our far away neighbors, who we soon realize are so very different from ourselves.
This worldwide struggle according to many leaders is forcing us to choose what primary proclamation are we to declare in this expanding world community? This difficult choice seems to be between two major thoughts or perspectives, that would be difficult to proclaimed together. In fact they struggle to exist together within every faith because of the basic differences in how they are applied to people from/with different cultures and values.
What are these two opposing perspectives? Simply stated they are:
1. (Fill in a word or name) is the only way to acquire life after death (peace).
Or
2. For me/us (Fill in a word or name) is the best way to acquire life after death (peace).
A person deeply committed to statement number one, the one way only theory, will struggle constantly with how to effectively relate with anyone outside that system of belief. Why would this be true? By the nature of the statement, a person with that perspective must view anyone outside their perspective or realm as lost and without hope. They have and always will tend to see these outsiders as the enemy as well as people full of ignorance.
We don’t have to look to relationships between the major faiths of the world to see this in action. Throughout our Christian history this has been evident between many, if not most, Christian groups. Early in our history the Roman Church was one of the first major movements to claim exclusiveness. Subsequently, each and every cause seeking to reform the faith claimed that their particular perspective or way was the best, if not only true one. Nearly every spinoff from one of the main movements was created because someone claimed a new and special way.
Let one thing be clear, if a person or group stands on statement number one, they should by all means be isolationist and treat the rest of humanity as lost. It is a difficult road to walk, but it would seem to be the correct one for this group. Those of this perspective usually claim they simply are believing what God has told them.
In the second stated perspective there appears to be two underlying principles. The first is that how a person, or for that matter which person, is redeemed is freely and exclusively up to a Higher Power or Ideal. The twist? This perspective assumes all who are redeemed are done so by God. Therefore I believe this view also requires a respect of other views of God and reality. This twist evolves out of a humility that understands that there are things about the Creator we humans have yet to learn. It is powered by the notion that God desires every human being to exist forever with God, so they can come to the full knowledge of the truth of the reality of Creation and its Creator. Thus the second group normally endeavors to exist in a manner that will attract others to their faith. They do this by treating others as fellow creatures in the Creator’s world.. Who is or who isn’t in the fold of God is left entirely up to God.
Which statement is correct? Both could be correct and both could be wrong. But both require a deep respect of faith and discipline to that particular way of life. Jesus as well as most all other great teachers of other established faiths recognized this when they taught their followers that a person cannot serve two masters. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people attempt to live by both of the above statements. A person’s circumstance at various times seems to dictate as to which statement governed their actions.. In doing so their faith has been watered down to a point where it is now hard to tell the difference between the two points of view.
Having lived in communities and countries with different faiths than mine, and I found I was comfortable with most of their philosophies. For the most part, I believe they simply didn’t want to offend me. However, in every place I lived, I encountered minorities who strongly advocated just one of the statements. And they made it clear, that for them their statement of faith, whether it was the first or second one cited above, was the only way.
Unfortunately the middle groups who simply didn’t want to offend anyone have slowly lost center stage and control in every faith and culture. They seem to be standing on the sidelines while the two extremes fight for survival.
What should we make of this? Perhaps it is time for a new Reformation, not just in Christianity, but in the all the faiths of the world. Let us seek a common understanding of God and the purpose of this Creation. Let us seek it with love and understanding.
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