Sonny's Corner - What you believe does make a difference
"Sonny's Corner" is a regular column in Prairie Fire, featuring commentary on civil rights and justice issues. Our friend and Omaha colleague, Joseph P. "Sonny" Foster, died suddenly at age 54 in August 2005. He left an uncompleted agenda, as did many of our civil rights and justice mentors and heroes. We shall attempt to move forward on that unfinished agenda through this column.
It doesn’t matter what religion you are. They are all the same.” This is a quote found in our local paper a few years ago. I also heard it many times when I served as chaplain in a general hospital, as chaplain in a state psychiatric hospital and from others when they learned I was a minister. I also heard many tell me they didn’t go to a church or a synagogue or a mosque, but they believed in God and that was enough. There was a time when I wasn’t sure how to respond. I wasn’t as confident as I am now.
I firmly believe that all religions, all denominations and all churches, all synagogues and all mosques are not the same. There are religions, denominations, churches, synagogues, mosques and belief systems that are healthy and helpful, but there are also those that are unhealthy and can be psychologically harmful. What they teach about the nature of God and what a person believes about the nature of God separates the healthy from the unhealthy. What you believe does make a difference.
1. What do you believe about those whose beliefs are different than yours? Some believe that God does not accept people who do not believe or think as they do. Their faith group teaches that it is OK to exclude these persons, and perhaps even hurt them physically and mentally if they do not believe what the faith group proclaims. I believe that one’s religion does not have to conform to the crowd but can be personal, and that everyone is a child of God and deserves respect. I listen and learn and am continually growing in the faith by being challenged by others. Not all religions are the same.
2. What do you believe about accountability and the afterlife? Some believe that God is in his heaven keeping track of every little thing we do that is bad and recording these acts in some big book. Those who believe this way are probably living in fear, with stifling pessimism and intense feelings of failure because they do not measure up. They live with constant uptight feelings because they feel they never measure up to some ideal. This would be the same kind of feelings all of us have had the night before a final exam. They feel this way because they are never sure how God will grade them. This is what happened to Martin Luther before he changed what he believed and started a Reformation. I believe that salvation is a gift from God and does not come to us because we have earned it. Not all religions are the same, and what you believe about God does make a difference in how you feel about yourself, how you feel about other people in God’s world and how you get along with others.
3. What do you believe about your ability and freedom to make decisions in regard to your beliefs? Some believe that one must be completely dependent upon God and/or the church and/or the church leaders. Creativity and thinking “outside the box” are not allowed. I believe this can result in an infantile escapism from reality and does not allow for a healthy acceptance of limitations and “creatureliness.” I believe we can think and reason for ourselves.
John Wesley gave us the “quadrilateral” to help us sort out if a doctrine or belief is worth keeping, and to help us evaluate what we believe:
*The first criteria: “What does your Holy Scripture say?” Does it agree or disagree with the statement or belief or doctrine?
*The second criteria: “What does tradition say?” That is, what is the traditional definition and/or interpretation?
*The third criteria: “Is it rational?” That is, would a rational person believe this? Also, what is the consequence if you follow this idea to its rational conclusion?
*The fourth criteria: “Does it fit with your own experience?” Many ignore this fourth criteria, which is very important to me. I believe one needs to develop his or her own belief system that fits with his or her own experience. Too many of us use only one or two criteria in exploring our belief system or a doctrine. I believe it is very important to use all four. Not all religions are the same, and what you believe does make a difference.
4. What do you believe about dissent? Some believe that it is perfectly permissible to harm and even kill those who disagree with you, or what the religious leaders are teaching. These beliefs only increase the violence already in the world. I believe we should work for peace and justice at all times and in all places, and encourage our fellow travelers to do the same.
5. What do you believe about change and adaptation? Some believe that change is bad and that the old ways are the correct and only way, in God’s eyes. Innovation and creativity are to be stifled and discouraged. My religion and belief system encourages me to try new things, to reach out in new ways, and to think and try on new thoughts and ideas. My religion and belief system encourages me to continually search out the answers to complex questions and to use new tools, new technologies and new ways. In other words, it encourages me to enjoy the great world that has been given to me and to everyone by God.
6. Dogmatists of any religion or belief system are to be avoided. They teach that what they believe is right and true, and everyone else is wrong, because God has given them the only true religion. The wise religious person acknowledges that he or she only sees “in a mirror darkly” (I Corinthians 13:12), but nevertheless trusts in and is committed to a particular belief system that he or she hopes is true.
7. Very basic for me is a belief that God is a loving being that helps me when I am down, forgives me when I do wrong and is not exclusive. The rest of my belief system is built upon this foundation. Thus, I can go out into the world to help others as best I can, thankful for the good news that even if I make a mistake in this endeavor, I am still accepted, and I can go on. I do not go out into the world and do good in order to make God love me more but in appreciation of all that I have been given.
8. I do not know why there is pain and suffering. I do not know why there are floods and tornadoes and accidents. I do not know why our daughter died from a brain tumor at age 37 and left a husband and a 5-year-old daughter, while others who are not as active in the community and are not doing the good that she did live to an old age. Some religions teach, and their followers believe, that this tragedy is God testing me or is punishment for some wrong I have done. My God is a loving God, and my belief does not allow for such an irrational argument that God does these things to his or her creation. I know and have experienced the pain, suffering and loss that are a part of life. I also know that God is with me as I live through these experiences. And my religion teaches me that I should continually search to try to find answers to life’s questions and mysteries. In the interim, I live in the knowledge that God is love.
9. I believe in a loving, sustaining God that helps me through such times. I know that the living saints in my church, in my community and around the world are present to help me get through these trials and tribulations. Even though I sometimes stumble, I know that others are there and reaching out in God’s love.
I challenge you to take a long hard look at what you believe and ask yourself:
*Do my beliefs condemn people who have beliefs and practices that are different than mine or do my beliefs allow for diversity?
*Do my beliefs result in actions that will bring peace with justice?
*Do my beliefs help me live a better, more abundant life? Now is the time to try to understand and explore what you really believe, and see if those beliefs will bring the kind of world you want to live in.
Not all religions are the same, and what you believe does make a difference!
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