A Christian Stance Toward All Religions, Including All 41,000 Christian Denominations

 

I am conversant at an introductory level with several religious sects, and with the Judeo/Christian Scriptures that guide my faith and the faith of millions of other Christians—including those whose perspective on Scripture contradicts my own. But my discoveries, almost daily, of new elements within those sacred writings confirm that I am no expert. I still have much to learn and unlearn in my journey of faith.

I write as one beggar sharing with other beggars where I have found bread, and I leave open the possibility that “I may be wrong.”

I have read parts of the sacred writings of several religious systems, and I find good values and ethics in all of them; indeed, there are values that appear to be universal, e.g., righteousness: an orientation of the heart that yearns for the presence of honesty, gentleness, truth, and compassion within the human community, justice: the actualization of those qualities within the community, and shalom (peace): the harmony and unity that result from the presence of justice.[1] Throw in love and all the biblical descriptions and examples of love, e.g., in I Corinthians 13, because “God is love” (I John 4:8, et. al.)

For me, the universal nature of basic moral and ethical values leaves open the door to consider that God—whether perceived as a sentient being or a universal moral principle or Spirit (“May the Force be with you!)—has self-revealed in some way to every culture in human history. The Judeo/Christian Scriptures declare “In past generations he allowed all peoples to follow their own ways, yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good…”  (Acts 14:16-17 NRSVUE)

While I have found no convincing alternative to my own Christian faith, I would actively solicit the friendship of any person of any persuasion who will accept me in return and will enter with integrity into a relationship of mutual respect, friendship, and enrichment. When agreement is not forthcoming, understanding is a universal basis for friendship and mutual enrichment.

As a Christian I am committed to sharing my faith with any individual or group willing to listen; but I will make no attempt to inflict my faith on anyone who has not invited me to share (that does not mean I will not ask permission to share). Christianity attracts by invitation and compassionate example; and by its very nature cannot be inflicted by persuasion or coercion. Platitudes are abundant: Christianity is caught, not taught; Christianity is a relationship, not a religion.

In reality, of course, Christianity is a religion, however one slices, dices, or rationalizes it. So is atheism. And so is “spiritual but not religious.” What is being rejected is not “religion,” but toxic religion. Virtually everyone would reject “toxic” religion; although, too many define toxic as “disagrees with me!” The truth is that some of the most visible expressions of Christianity are counterproductive; that is, they repel people rather than draw them to Christ. Westboro Baptist Church has far outstripped “godless communism” in damaging Christianity.

As an American, I support the free expression of all religious faiths as guaranteed in the First Amendment to the US Constitution, so long as such expression does not conflict with the rights or freedoms of any other individual or group. Note: I did not say, “…so long as such expression agrees with my own.”

That being said, I reject any manipulative or intimidating approach to proselytization or evangelism. I did not want my children manipulated or intimidated into any sect or cult, including some expressions of Christianity. In order to maintain that right for “me and mine”, however, I must extend that same right to all others. If the freedom of any group can be abridged, or if any faith expression is granted favored status, the freedom of all is in jeopardy.

That being said, I will not support any effort to enforce any tenet of any religious faith, including Christianity, through legislation or official sanction. Christianity must remain a free choice; otherwise, it is not a valid expression of the Way, the Truth, and the Life proclaimed and lived by Jesus of Nazareth.

As a human I concur with President Jimmy Carter: “My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I can, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have, to try to make a difference.”

I condemn all acts of violence or terrorism: physical, mental, emotional, relational or spiritual, organized or spontaneous, enacted by individual or mob—or legislature, especially in any attempt to normalize Christianity or any sectarian version of Christianity. The use of Judeo/Christian Scripture to justify inhumane treatment of any human constitutes, for me, an act of violence.

While I agree with Henry David Thoreau’s quote, “That government is best that governs least,” and while I support humane efforts to enable a self-supporting citizenry, there are effective ways, ineffective ways, and counterproductive ways to pursue any desired end. I agree that government has been ineffective in facilitating a self-supporting citizenry. I suspect it always will be. But jerking the rug from under dependent people does not affect an instant self-supporting citizenry; indeed, it affects instant suffering and constitutes an act of violence.

Those who are mentally, physically, or otherwise incapacitated notwithstanding, there is an effective way to facilitate the growth of a culture of cooperation and interdependence that fosters a self-supporting citizenry. It will involve the application of universal moral and ethical principles and values included in, but not limited to, Judeo/Christian teaching, viz., righteousness, justice, and shalom. And love.

But that effective way will not happen until the citizenry and the legislature that represents them adopt and live by those values and principles—until those principles and values break the deadlock cultivated and sustained by a system—whatever it may be called—that favors the rich and powerful and tosses the poor and vulnerable (the “least”) under the bus.

He has told you, O mortal, what is good,
    and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice and to love kindness
    and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NRSVUE)

One need not be a Christian—or even religious—to acknowledge the validity of the universal principles and values that have been acknowledged (whether practiced or not) by virtually every known world religion.

That’s how it looks through the “Flawd Glass” that is my world view.

Together in the Walk,

Jim

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[1] From Walter Brueggemann’s commentary on Psalm 72 in Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary Based on the NRSV—Year A (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995) p. 14.