Beyond Tolerance

I'm a true believer. That is, I believe in the gospel of grace through faith in Jesus Christ. I believe in hope, faith and love. I believe that God loves all people and welcomes all creation to fully embrace one another in the next life. I believe that people can change for the better, that peace can happen, that life is good.

Yes, I'm a true believer in all these things. Yet, there are days when it's difficult to believe that I believe these things. Last week I read through the lessons for Advent, specifically the lectionary selections from Isaiah. And, I kept asking myself, "Do I believe this anymore? With what is happening in the Middle East (and in our own government), how can I believe that 'nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.'"

And so, there are days when I look at the preponderance of the evidence and wonder how I can still believe that peace will happen, that humanity has any integrity and wisdom at all, that love has a chance of working in this life. Today is not one of those days for me, by the way. But, do you know what I mean?

I've been involved with a "Community Wide Dialogue to End Racism" group this fall, sponsored by InterFaith Works of Central New York. Such groups have been going on in communities around the country for ten years.

I was part of a group of ten folks that included blacks and whites, Jews Christians and Muslims, middle aged and young adult, males and females. Over six two hour sessions we tell our own stories, come to grips with institutional racism, white privilege, and begin to strategize what we can do in our own spheres of influence to combat racism and promote justice and reconciliation.

Yesterday was our last session. And so, we summarized our experiences in the group, what we have learned, and talked about "next steps." As we spoke, one woman acknowledged how far we still had to go, but also pointed to how much progress has been made. I expressed my own view that while we have progressed as a society to begin to acknowledge the existence of racism, we needed to keep eternally vigilant. For racism raises its ugly head all around us -- on school campuses in places like Jena, Staten Island and Ithaca.

And, religious bigotry and prejudice is prevalent particularly now. It often tries to hid itself in the guise of patriotism. The ultra conservative Freedom Center through it's so-called "Terrorism Awareness Project" has named this week, "Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week". They are going around to college campuses with a message that spreads a gospel of hate and fear while creating a spirit of suspicion toward all Muslims as terrorists.

Presently, InterFaith Works is drafting a statement against such examples of intolerance and fear mongering. The statement is in draft form, so I can't include it in its entirety here. In part we affirm:

"the dignity of each person as the basic principle of freedom upon
which our nation is based. We urge our fellow citizens, the leaders of our
communities both in the private and governmental sectors to promote dialogue
rather than diatribes of hate, to refuse to paint any faith community and
its participants, or members of any racial or ethnic group with the broad
brush of prejudice based upon fear, and to work toward building
communities where mutual respect and understanding are the goal and
standard of life."

The Christian scriptures lift up the minimum standard of tolerance as the basis for healthy community. The writer of the Letter to the Ephesians urges us to "bear with one another in love" in the effort to "maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:2,3)

I believe that we have to start with tolerance, with putting up with one another. I also believe that more than tolerance is necessary for living in healthy communities. This is one of the most beneficial aspects of the Community Wide Dialogue program. It brings together people from the different ethnic, religious and racial groups within our communities to learn from one another and to develop mutual understanding and commitments to work for common good. (For those living in the Syracuse area go to the InterFaith Works website for more information regarding this program. http://www.interfaithworkscny.org/)

Well, I am a true believer, still. Indeed, there will come the time when

"the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it. Many peoples shall come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob: that [God] may teach us [God's] ways and that we may walk in [God's] paths." for out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. [God] shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Is. 2:2-4)

God will accomplish all of these things, I am sure. I also know that we are the ones who will need to decide to climb that mountain and actually do the walking. And, we're the ones who will need to do the hard work of forging the instruments of peace out of the weapons of war. It is here, in the area of our own intentions and will, that the jury is still out. It is here where hope fills in for belief.

Blessings,

Rick Cowles

P.S. Please notice that I have placed a link to subscribe to this blog at the top right corner of the page. Subscribing means that you can place a UCCNY Crossroads "window" on the homepage of your web browser. Clicking on the link will take you to the page that enables you to do this. In that way you don't have to wait for my email notices of new postings (although I will continue these no doubt) and you won't have the hassle of connecting onto the link that I provide (when I remember it) on the email notices. Rick