Sep 26th, 2007
A Fork in the Road
As the East and the West are illumined by one sun, so all races, nations, and creeds shall be seen as the servants of the One God. The whole earth is one home, and all peoples, did they but know it, are bathed in the oneness of God’s mercy. God created all. He gives sustenance to all. He guides and trains all under the shadow of His bounty. We must follow the example God Himself gives us, and do away with all disputations and quarrels. `Abdu’l-Bahá, Bahá’í writings
Extraordinary letter from the rector of our village (Church of England) church today in the parish magazine. Some Jehovah Witnesses had come to his door and they discussed with him whether the Bible meant anything to people these days. They then `chatted about the current state of society, the materialism that seems to dominate our world and the inability or unwillingness of people to look beyond the trivial and to consider the larger questions that life confronts us with.’ In other words, they had a spiritual conversation.
But the rector felt that had they talked on, it would not have taken them long to discover that they understood their Christian faith in very different ways and that although they had concentrated on what they had in common and had found that they were in some ways bound together, there were real differences between them. And this perplexed the rector. He asks, `So what should the Christian community do? Should we work together with anyone who is vaguely on our side, because we share a common cause with them? Or should we stand by our understanding of the truth and hold out against anything which would dilute this?’ He muses that if they `accommodate everyone’ they could end up with a faith that has no real substance but if they `pursue the truth at all costs’ then they will remain divided as a community.
He writes that the climate at the moment is that they are being `nice to everyone’, where `not causing division’ is the `paramount motivation’ of the church. He says, with some regret it seems to me, `We must not rock the boat, we must not exclude anyone, we must seek what we have in common with people and not look for that which distinguishes us from them. This has been extended into our relations with other faiths too, so we often see these days church leaders quite happy to defend Muslims, Jews and others and to praise the richness of diversity.’
But he goes on, `Is this right? Is this the way forward?’ And then, amazingly, he says, `I just don’t know.’ So his conclusion?
`I’ve decided not to answer the door anymore. It gives me a headache.’
Well, I admire the man for his honesty and I can see that he is probably not up to a home visit but I can’t leave him locked in his rectory, not answering his door for fear of the complications the visitor might bring, so I offer him the words of Bahá’u'lláh as a guide to which fork of the road he should take:
Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.
Consort with all religions with amity and concord, that they may inhale from you the sweet fragrance of God.
They that are endued with sincerity and faithfulness should associate with all the peoples and kindreds of the earth with joy and radiance, inasmuch as consorting with people hath promoted and will continue to promote unity and concord, which in turn are conducive to the maintenance of order in the world and to the regeneration of nations. Blessed are such as hold fast to the cord of kindliness and tender mercy and are free from animosity and hatred.
Humanity has usually taken the other road, the road of disunity and hatred, and it has brought us war, misery and destruction. Walk a little way down the road of fellowship and unity and see if it leads to a better destination. If not, we can always go back and choose the other road.
Technorati Tags: Bahá’í, Bahá’u'lláh
I personally and humbly believe that if you (and I mean you personally Wendi) don’t subscribe completely to my beliefs I’ll have to sever all ties with you, thrash your reputation on-line and ignore you when we meet!
I think there was a time when a society could only subscribe to one system of faith, in fact my great uncle was upset that my mum became an evangelical Christian, when the whole family were Catholic! You can imagine the horror when it was revealed that I am a Baha’i, and that I chose to do this aged 14.
I don’t think our differences can ever be reconciled in that sense, we will never completely agree with each other. But then again, neither do I want my two daughters to be identical; I celebrate their differences, and by their being am I filled with joy.
All I ask is that they love me; and that they know and can identify my expressions of love for them. And if their love for me enables them to love each other, then my joy will know no bounds.
Such is my love for Baha’u'llah, that when I see you, my heart is overjoyed.
And when we are apart, I long for your company.
But I hardly know you at all.
So Wendi, what kind of chocolate do you prefer?
Love, Tobbot, aka Tobstv
Thanks - I like all sorts of chocolate, just as I like all sorts of people - especially your sort of people!
Love
Wendi
Your poor vicar! If he finds diversity so difficult he will never set foot outside his vicarage ever again. God forbid that he should come up to London and engage in inter-faith dialogue.
I was brought up in the Church of England. I went through an evangelical conversion at about 16, “invited Jesus into my life” and became intolerant and self-righteous as only adolescents who’ve been “converted” can be intolerant. That didn’t last long, I’m glad to say.
When I became a Baha’i a couple of years later (having left school), the chaplain of Wellington College, my alma mater, was very upset and accused me of being disloyal to Jesus. I wondered what happened to the chaplain?
Many years ago, I had a number of dialogue sessions with David Willcox, the Baptist minister in Abingdon. He was open enough to acknowledge that God spoke through the Hidden Words (I had given him a copy). So perhaps not all those who wear clerical collars are entirely flummoxed by diversity of religion or belief.