MIRACLES

Recently, I was invited to a party to celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Feast of Lights or Feast of Dedication. I knew a little about Hanukkah. Gifts are exchanged and contributions made to the poor. On the first evening, one candle is lighted in a special eight-branched candelabrum called a menorah or hanukkiyah. Beginning on the second night, one candle is added every night until the total reaches eight on the last night. The candles are lighted by a separate candle called a shamash. 

The invitation said we'd retell the Hanukkah story, so I wanted to review its history.  The two books of Maccabees in the Apocrypha tell the story of Hanukkah. In 165 B.C., after a three-year struggle led by Judah Maccabee, the Jews in Judea defeated the Syrian tyrant Antiochus IV. They held festivals in the Temple in Jerusalem, and dedicated it to God.  When the Jews cleaned the Temple of Syrian idols, they found only one small cruse of oil with which to light their holy lamps. But miraculously, the cruse provided them with oil for eight days.  Hanukkah celebrates this miracle of the oil, and the miracle of defeating the Syrians against great odds.  

The invitation I received also mentioned that we might play the dreidel game, with the four-sided spinning top. I wanted to investigate that too. In an article which begins, "On Hanukkah we recognize the miracle of nature," Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum at http://www.aish.com/h/c/b/Why_Dreidel.html begins to explain the part the dreidel plays in the celebration by writing, "A miracle is a break from the natural routine." Some believe that God’s hand guides everything in the world. Often, though we are so distracted by our routine that we don't notice. He says, “"Nature"” is really nothing more than the breathtaking beauty and symmetry of God’s Creation becoming routine."  

OK. A miracle breaks the routine. The break draws our attention to God’s control over all areas of life – even the natural. "...Hanukkah reflects the lull in the war [against the Syrian Antiochus IV], when the Jews had a chance to stop and consider the Divine assistance rendered during their lop-sided battles – something they had not appreciated in the midst of war." Ah! Another miracle -- Divine assistance.  

Next, Nisenbaum explains that the four Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, heh, and shin, representing the words nes gadol haya sham, “A great miracle happened there,” are written on the sides of the dreidel, one on each side. Then he continues, "While the dreidel spins, the letters disappear in a blur and are visible only when coming to a stop. The dreidel represents how we – immersed in the dizzying hustle-bustle of daily routine – cannot see the miracles regularly happening all around. Only when we stop to reflect are our eyes opened to the miracles that were there the whole time." You can find the "rules" for game played with the dreidel at http://www.myjewishlearning.com/holidays/Jewish_Holidays/Hanukkah/At_Home/Dreidel/How_To_Play.shtml 

 Each of our Abrahamic traditions has its own miracles which we celebrate. I invite you -- I urge you -- to stop often during this New Year and look for those miracles which are always around you.

PEACE AND GOOD WILL

We're entering the Christmas season, the time when we'll be hearing and offering wishes for "Peace on earth" and good will toward all people -- Christians, Jews, Muslims, and many others. The cards we send one another will convey those messages, and the hymns we sing will also include those words. Even the gift tags on those packages under the tree will often repeat them.

I send you wishes of peace and good will. To them, I add this advice from Mahatma Ghandi: "You must be the change you want to see in the world."

I think Ghandi meant that we must "walk the talk." Once we put the two ideas together, we find we've made a formidable challenge for ourselves: If I wish for peace on earth, how must I "be" to advance that cause? If I wish you good will, how must I act that toward you and all people? How would you do it? Isn't this what Jesus did?

And this is not just about peace with our nearest friends. It's about all the people in the world. If we want to see "peace on earth," peace in the whole world, how must we behave? What must we do? For some of us (like me, I confess), the question is also, "What must we not do?"

Much of what we do in our day-to-day lives we do competitively. We try for the best parking place, the best office location, the best seats in the sanctuary... The rub comes when we lose these little competitions -- how do we treat the winners? Do we respond peacefully, with good will, and showing respect? Or do we respond angrily, or aggressively?

Scale it up. We lose the "perfect" job to another candidate, or worse, we lose the job we've had for a while. Or, we lose a spouse or significant other to another person. Or, we lose our home to the bad economy.... Do we react to the loss peacefully? Do we react with good will toward those whom we blame for the loss?

Bigger still. We lose a child, or a friend, or a fellow citizen, or many fellow citizens in a war or a far-away attack. Do we/Can we react peacefully, with good will? Or do we make war instead?

Jesus taught about this dilemma in Matthew 5 (and 6 and 7): "Blessed are the peacemakers...Blessed are the merciful...Everyone who is angry with [someone] shall be liable to judgment..." Clearly, it is desired that we be makers of peace, purveyors of mercy, free of anger.

But if we look at some of our (my) usual behaviors, we find that we're not really making peace but confrontation, and unhappiness. We're not showing mercy but perhaps contempt. And we might often be angry. In other words, we're not being "blessed."

And I'm including here our behaviors as we support or oppose public policies by our involvement in the public discourse; and as we support or avoid certain companies and industries by our investments in them and purchases from them. Are these behaviors of ours also bringing peace and good will to the world, or are they bringing something else?

So if we really mean what we say in those wishes for peace and good will, let's each try to change our individual and societal behaviors to be that way -- peaceful, and merciful, and of good will toward all people. Merry Christmas now and all year long!

INVESTING FOR GOOD

I've just read Amy Domini's book, SOCIALLY RESONSIBLE INVESTING: Making a Difference and Making Money. (Chicago: Dearborn Trade, 2001) As I understand it, investing in a socially responsible way means earning an acceptable return on our money, without hurting other people or damaging our environment.

Within the faith-based world, socially responsible investing (SRI) dates back more than 200 years, with Quaker immigrants arguing against investing in war and the Methodists managing their money using what is known in modern investment lingo as “social screens.”" Sure enough, Domini begins her discussion of the history of SRI referring to John Wesley's 50th sermon, "The Use of Money," based in Luke 16:9. My Methodist friends frequently remind me of one part of that sermon: "Gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." 

But I hadn't heard from them about the limits Wesley placed on how to make those gains. Wesley said:

"We cannot, if we love everyone as ourselves, hurt anyone in his substance. We cannot devour the increase of his lands, and perhaps the lands and houses themselves, by gaming, by overgrown [sic] bills ... or by requiring or taking such interest as even the laws of our country forbid. We cannot, consistent with brotherly love, sell our goods below the market price; we cannot study to ruin our neighbour's trade, in order to advance our own; much less can we entice away or receive any of his servants or workmen whom he has need of.

"Neither may we gain by hurting our neighbour in his body. Therefore we may not sell anything which tends to impair health.

"[Nor should we can gain by] hurting our neighbour in his soul by ministering either directly or indirectly, to his unchastity, or intemperance, which certainly none can do, who has any fear of God, or any real desire of pleasing Him. You can read the entire sermon here.

In Islam, similar principles apply, allowing only ethical investing, and moral purchasing. For example, "Investing in businesses that provide goods or services considered contrary to Islamic principles is ... sinful and prohibited." These are not acceptable: Transactions exclude those involving alcohol, pork, gambling, etc. or businesses that produce media such as gossip columns or pornography. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_banking#Islamic_equity_funds.

About gambling: Shariah law prohibits contracts which depend on uncertain future events or other speculative transactions. Both concepts involve excessive risk and are supposed to foster uncertainty and fraudulent behavior. One of the world's leading experts on Islamic finance, Sheikh Hussain Hassan, argues the whole crisis in Western banking could have been avoided if these basic sharia principles had been followed. He said: "$600 trillion were wasted on options, futures and derivatives, all gambling. Sharia prohibited these kind of risks 14 centuries back."

"Within the Jewish community," writes Tamar Snyder, "many investors are re-examining their investment portfolios with an eye toward not only financial gains but also social impact." Snyder reminds us that, "One of every $9 under professional financial management in the United States is involved now in socially responsible investing — investments that take into consideration not just the financial but also the social and environmental consequences of investments."

I urge us all to review our investments, to assure that they reflect the faith we profess. I believe we can earn fair returns on our capital while protecting our neighbors (world-wide), developing our communities, and caring for our environments.

More About GENEROSITY and KINDNESS

Last time, I asked, "How should we behave toward our fellow human beings who are less fortunate than we?" I want to explore a related question this month. How do we become "ethical"? Where do we learn ethical behavior? Who or what teaches us respect for the other person?

The Abrahamic traditions benefit from a long and rich history of values development. Most of us recognize the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20, and Deuteronomy 5) given to Moses as a main basis for how we should relate to God and to one another.

I have a long-standing interest in the substance of the book of Proverbs, because it represents (for me) the distillation of our common sense about how our behaviors affect our lives and those around us. I remember hearing bits of the Book of Proverbs quoted in my home when I was growing up. Perhaps you do too. So I credit that Book as one source of my own training toward "right behavior."

Part of the "Books of Truth" section of the Hebrew Bible, Proverbs provides a basis for the education of young Jews. Its influence reaches more broadly, too, as it forms part of the basis of the values of Christianity and Islam. This is where we can find much good advice about how to behave with others. For example, Proverbs 1:10 says, "My son, if sinful men entice you, do not give in to them." The succeeding verses talk about ambushing someone, and taking his material possessions. Murder and theft are prohibited in the Ten Commandments, and the prohibition is reinforced here.

The Qur'an teaches the same lesson. In 5:105, we read, "Believers, guard your own souls. The person who has gone astray cannot hurt you if you are rightly guided." In both these teachings, we're warned to avoid following the lure of others whose behaviors do not reflect the scriptures' instructions.

Our Abrahamic traditions also teach justice -- fair treatment of others. For example, the Qur'an teaches that we should deal justly with all other people, regardless of how we feel about them. At 5:8, we read, "Do not allow your hatred for other men to turn you away from justice. Deal justly; that is nearer to true piety." And at 4:135, we see that Muslims are instructed to seek justice even when it goes against themselves or those they love: "Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor..."

Perhaps one of the most straight-forward instructions to act justly tells us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Christians accept Jesus' teaching of the "greatest commandment" in Matthew 22:36-40 as the most fundamental statement of what it means to act like a Christian.

Proverbs 11:24-25 teaches us how to love our neighbors, saying that generosity toward others will be a reward in itself: "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." And the Qur'an emphasizes that point too, at 2:177: "The righteous man is he who ... gives away his wealth to his kinsfolk, to orphans, to the helpless, to the traveler in need and to beggars, and for the redemption of captives..."

Generosity, justice, and adhering to your sense of what's right -- these lessons are taught in all of our holy scriptures. It's up to us to learn our lessons, and to act accordingly.

GENEROSITY and KINDNESS

How should we behave toward our fellow human beings who are less fortunate than we? In particular, what do we learn from our religious traditions about being generous to the poorer people in our communities? I have italicized a few of the words below, to emphasize them.

Some of our early teachings are found in the Torah, for example, in Deuteronomy 15:7-8, 10: "If anyone is poor among your fellow Israelites in any of the towns of the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward them. Rather, be openhanded and freely lend them whatever they need. . . Give generously to them and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to." (HOLY BIBLE, New International Version)

Proverbs 19:17: "He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done." (HOLY BIBLE, New International Version)

In Acts 20:35, Paul teaches us, "You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” (HOLY BIBLE, New International Version)

Qur'an 2:267-272: "Believers, give in alms of the wealth you have lawfully earned; not worthless things which you yourselves would but reluctantly accept. . . To give alms in public is good, but to give alms to the poor in private is better . . . Whatever alms you give shall rebound to your own advantage, provided you give them for the love of God. And whatever alms you give shall be paid back to you in full: you shall not be wronged." (NOBLE QUR'AN, translated by N.J. Dawood)

To whom should we give? The poor. Jesus told the rich young man to sell all of his possessions and give the proceeds to the poor. (Matthew 19:16-30, Luke 18:18-30, Mark 10:17-31) And how should we give? Qur'an 76:8-9: ". . . [servants of God], though they hold it dear, give sustenance to the poor man, the orphan, and the captive, saying, 'We feed you for God's sake only; we seek of you neither recompense nor thanks.' " (NOBLE QUR'AN, translated by N.J. Dawood)

From Deuteronomy 15:11, "There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land." (HOLY BIBLE, New International Version)

And from the Qur'an 4:36-37: "Be kind to parents, and the near kinsman, and to orphans, and to the needy, and to the neighbor who is of kin, and to the neighbor who is a stranger, and to the companion at your side, and to the traveler, and to [slaves] that your right hands own. Surely God loves not the proud and boastful such as are niggardly, and bid other men to be niggardly, and themselves conceal the bounty that God has given them." (NOBLE QUR'AN, translated by N.J. Dawood)

All of these Abrahamic scriptures teach us to give, cheerfully, to the poor, from our abundance; and God will bless us for sharing and giving.

"LIBERAL VALUES AND INSTITUTIONS"

A friend recently told me about the book, SOULS IN TRANSITION, in which the authors, Christian Smith and Patricia Snell, suggest that students today are less skeptical about religion than in the past, but also less interested: “Liberal Protestantism’s core values –individualism, pluralism, emancipation, tolerance, free critical inquiry, and the authority of human experience—have come to so permeate broader American culture, that its own churches as organizations have difficulty surviving.”

Do those students -- less skeptical and less interested in religion -- represent the larger population? Are we all becoming less invested in those religious institutions? The decline in interest in the organizations seems real enough. "The United Methodist Church’s U.S. membership has continued to shrink, ... membership decline tracks with that of other mainline denominations since 1966." (http://churchexecutive.com/archives/umc-membership-reaches-12-million-worldwide) Similarly, "According to this year’s National Rabbinic Survey, declining involvement in Jewish activities was cited as the most pressing issue." (For more on this, see http://www.jewishpost.com/culture/Synaplex-A-Creative-Response-to-a-Decline-in-Synagogue-Identification.html) I think reformed Judaism in America shares liberal Protestantism’s values.

 Decline in membership among the mainline (liberal) churches implies that people spend less of their time, money, and energy on those religion-centered activities -- going to church (mosque/synagogue) or going on missions; supporting the church/mosque/synagogue's programs with their time and money; attending religion-affiliated schools and colleges; etc. Such decreases certainly threaten the continued strength of those institutions.

If liberal values are responsible for the declines of mainline Protestant church membership and involvement in Jewish activities in America, can those liberal organizations survive? How? Must they resort to preaching less tolerance and pluralism? Squelch free inquiry? In short, be less liberal?

Imagine what we'd have if our churches and synagogues did that. How would it be in our communities if our fellow citizens rejected pluralism, accepting only traditions exactly like theirs/ours? How would it be if we couldn't explore other beliefs, or try out new ways of worship, or allow different kinds of people into their/our church hierarchies? In fact, we do have some of those conditions now, here. People of one faith want to destroy the written holy scriptures of another faith, or deny them the ability to build their worship and service buildings in certain places, or refuse membership or leadership positions based on gender or gender-orientation. Some faiths claim that their ways are the only right ones; other ways are wrong, or worse.

Total church membership may not be declining. According to the WASHINGTON TIMES newspaper (http://www.washingtontimes.com/weblogs/belief-blog/2010/feb/12/latest-church-growth-stats-in/), overall membership among the largest 25 denominations in the USA rose by about one half of one percent from 2009 to 2010. Also, the number of new mosques in the country is increasing very rapidly.

What does this all mean for the broader American culture if liberal Protestant and Jewish institutions decline and the remaining (presumably less liberal) ones grow? Who will teach those liberal values? Ultimately, will "liberal Protestantism’s" core values be lost?

“FOREIGN”

I saw this sign on an airport wall recently: THE WORD "FOREIGN" IS LOSING ITS MEANING. The sign advertized the latest long list of cities outside the USA to which this particular airline flies.

What does "foreign" mean in our global environment? An on-line dictionary gives twelve definitions. Did that airport sign mean to convey that the word "foreign" is losing all its twelve meanings? Let's consider just two of the definitions: "strange or unfamiliar," and "of another country or nation."

My granddaughter studied in Europe as an undergraduate student. After graduation, she lived in Korea, and now she plans to spend this summer in Europe again. She lived in places which, at first, she found "strange or unfamiliar," but to which she soon acclimated. That is, those places lost their strangeness and became familiar to her. It's as Nicole Frehsee reminds us in "Twain Tracks," published in Hemispheres Magazine, March 2012, page 23: Mark Twain wrote that, "travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness."

Our world often gives us mixed messages. Unlike the airline's encouraging sign on the wall, traditional religious teachings may discourage "getting to know them." In the Old Testament (called by some the "Hebrew Bible" or "Jewish Bible") we find many references to "foreigners." For example, in the Torah, where many commandments are found, we read in Genesis 17, "Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, ... shall surely be circumcised." Could it be that foreign males might be changed from foreigners to people "like us" by the ritual of circumcision?

In still another example, the last two chapters of Ezra report how that prophet dealt with the great sin of "not [keeping] themselves separate from the neighboring peoples...We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us." It seems that God had commanded the Israelites not to "give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons."

In Luke 10: 33-37, Jesus, a Jew, tells the well-known parable of the Good Samaritan, a member of the minority, someone who might have been considered a "foreigner" to the majority of Israelites. In fact, Jesus referred to Samaritans as foreigners (Luke 17:18). In Matthew 10: 5-6, Jesus sends out the 12 disciples saying, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." He seems to be saying, "Avoid those foreigners."

But in Genesis 23, Abraham negotiates with foreigners to buy a burial plot for Sarah. As a result, that place became less foreign for him and his family. The book of Ruth tells us how she, as a foreigner, earns acceptance and becomes part of King David's lineage.

As my granddaughter has done, both Abraham and Ruth got past the "strange and unfamiliar." It is true for me and for others I've known, and maybe for you too: As we come in contact with foreign people, practices, customs, beliefs and worship traditions previously unfamiliar to us, they feel no longer so strange or different, but increasingly comfortable. We come to "know" them. In that sense, the word "foreign" really can lose that part of its meaning. So maybe the airline with its sign, and Mark Twain, are right: Going there and meeting those who are strange, unfamiliar, or from another nation or country, can reduce our prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

VALUES SEEM TO SEPARATE US MORE THAN BELIEFS

Over the past 10 years, I've been writing about similarities and common ground among the several Abrahamic faiths. During that time, I've come to the conclusion that we are more divided by our values than by our specific beliefs. What do I mean by that? For example, I don't see much difference in the way liberal or progressive believers act about inclusion (e.g., including others as "acceptable" in our systems of tolerance). More conservative believers tend to exclude others. It seems there's a spectrum, with the most liberal on one end, and the most conservative on the other.

And it seems that, the closer one is to one end of the spectrum, the more likely that one is to call names. Here's an example: In 1995, after the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, a local Baptist preacher, the Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown, pastor of the Third Baptist Church in San Francisco, said, "...[Jerry Falwell], Pat Robertson and their colleagues in the Christian Coalition have worked mightily to prostitute Christianity, putting the religion of Jesus Christ into the service of the conservative politics of the Republican Party, in the process abusing prayer for political gain." (See Brown, Amos "Christianity and Rightist Politics." SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, May 3, 1995, p. A-19. See http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/1995/05/03/ED2259.DTL, retrieved 2 March 2012) Brown makes no bones about calling the Christian Coalition an organization which uses Christianity to further its own goals. He has no use for their approach to Christianity.

Here's another example of the spectrum. The Taliban in Afghanistan try to enforce very conservative rules on women - how to dress, where they may go (with male escorts) and not go , what educational opportunities they might be allowed, and what work they might do. (Others, like Greg Mortenson, have challenged the Taliban's positions about women's education by building schools for young women and men in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I would call his actions "progressive" and others might refer to him and his actions as "liberal.")

At the liberal end of the spectrum, an American Muslim woman has founded the Islamic Networks Group (ING) which works to "...counter prejudice and discrimination against American Muslims by teaching about their traditions and contributions in the context of America’s history and cultural diversity..." The need for their work is highlighted by the recent controversy over the building of a mosque in New York City, and by the planned Qur'an burning by a Florida pastor. Both those who resisted that building, and those who supported the burning, represent a more conservative, less tolerant perspective. See the two ends of the spectrum?

Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV), are "an inclusive community rooted in the traditional Qur’anic ideals of human dignity and social justice." (See http://www.mpvusa.org/) This group addresses, among other issues, "human rights, freedom of expression, and separation of church and state — as well as inclusive and tolerant understandings of Islam." Their statement of concerns could easily reflect concerns of, for example, The Center for Progressive Christianity (See http://www.tcpc.org). It's not that Islam and Christianity are the same, but it's true that Progressives in both faith traditions share the same or similar concerns. The web page for the World Union for Progressive Judaism (See http://wupj.org) says that it "is rooted in the Bible, [and stresses] ... desire to learn what God expects from us: justice and equality, democracy and peace, personal fulfillment and collective obligations." See the similarities? Social justice, not social control, is a common goal of these progressives.

“EXTREMISTS EVERYWHERE? MAYBE MODERATES TOO?”

I've been troubled for a long time by the seemingly overwhelming number of religious extremists in the world. And I've ranted for years about the media's too-frequent connection of the words "Muslim" and "extremist" in their reporting of events in the Middle East. Seldom do they seem to report about Muslims without connecting to extremism somehow.

Well, here's a change for the better. On Christmas Day 2011, the SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE reported on Muslim families who celebrate Christmas. In his article, "Muslims Who Celebrate Christmas" (San Francisco CHRONICLE, December 25, 2011, p. C9) author, Raja Abdulrahim, tells of several families who view Christmas as a "happy time," or a "fun holiday," or a way to celebrate the "magic of Christmas." These people are taking a moderate view of the differences between their faith and the majority's religious traditions. They are seeking to assimilate, or to be good neighbors. They resonate to the message of "peace on earth and good will to all." Because they can maintain their religious beliefs, they don't feel the "imposition" of non-Muslim ways on them. (We must remember too that Jesus is an important Prophet in Islam.)

But the author reminds us that "Most clerics, however, will argue that followers of Islam should not participate in the Christian holiday." This is certainly a more conservative (but not extreme) point of view.

More troubling are reports in the same newspaper of "...growing extremism inside Israel's insular ultra-Orthodox community." Author Aron Heller uses the terms "religious extremists" and "Extremist sects" in his reports. (See "Protest's Use of Nazi Images Condemned" in the San Francisco CHRONICLE, January 2, 2012, p. A2.) It's clear, in this Associated Press article, that the media can and does use this term to describe groups of believers in faith traditions other than Islam.

Heller characterizes the concern caused by these "extremists" this way: "...[Ultra-Orthodox Jews] have become increasingly aggressive in trying to impose their ways on others as their population has grown and spread to new areas." That's troubling for me and you (I presume) as we realize we have to face people who want to impose "their ways" on us by threatening or violent means. But that's what societies have always faced, and that is why we have armed forces to defend us.

Indeed, Heller attempts to "size" the problem by informing us that Ultra-Orthodox Jews "make up 10 percent of Israel's population." That's about 730,000 people, a large number. But Arabs in Israel number about twice that, and Jews who are not Ultra-Orthodox comprise about two thirds of the entire population. So we can see that most Israeli citizens - Jews and Arabs - are not extremists.

The CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR reports that the dialog between Christians and Jews is becoming ever more open. And dialog proceeds from a position of tolerance rather than extremism. So while extremists may threaten, and even destroy and kill others, moderates discuss and understand the points of view of others. Rather than rant, I can applaud dialog.

And I can applaud these authors' reporting which tries to inform rather than scare us.

“SEPARATING CHURCH/MOSQUE/SYNAGOGUE AND STATE”

I often think about how religious practices affect our lives in our secular world. For example, we're just completing the season where we have seen the conflicts over displaying religious symbols on our public property; and arguments about why we should say "Happy Holidays" to one another rather than "Happy Hanukah" or "Merry Christmas." I think we're just seeing the to-be-expected frictions among our citizens in this multi-cultural society of ours. We're still learning that there are more views of the world, and of God (Allah, G-d, etc.), than those we heard about as children. Open your daily newspaper and read about these differences of opinion, and how they can intrude on your routine.

Here's another example. Many of us eat meat, and most of us meat-eaters consume beef. I had forgotten how important, to some segments of our society, is the method of slaughtering our cattle and other livestock. We're not talking here about performances of archaic rituals, but about day-to-day operations. How do you kill the cow that I'll eat?

Observant Jews and Muslims require that their foods be Kosher or Halal, according to their specific laws. In the Netherlands, the private sector's slaughter process has changed , while still accomodating those requirements. "...changing public attitudes towards animal welfare forced a rethink" of how religious slaughter is done for the Jewish and Muslim communities.

When can you work or shop? Can stores be open on Sunday, the Christian day of rest? In my home town, back in the day, and today as well, many stores close to observe the Sabbath. Nowadays, of course, most large stores are open according to market conditions rather than according to religious considerations. In observant Jewish communities, most work must be forsaken on the Sabbath. No cooking, no driving...

But in Israel, it's daily transportation that can be affected by beliefs. Some buses are gender-segregated.

According to one Rabbi, segregated buses are not required by Jewish law. Still, some ultra-Orthodox Jews are pushing for segregation in areas of Israel where they comprise a majority. (Some of us remember when, in the USA, conservative Christians in the south believed that races must be segregated, and only 50-some years ago did Rosa Parks disobey the rule, thereby fueling the civil rights movement.)

We've just witnessed what has been called the "Arab Spring." We're now learning about the possible coming to power in Egypt of a religion-based political party. In this article , the author, Sarah El Deeb, writes, "The Nour Party, a more hard-line Islamist group, captured 24.4 percent [of the votes in the recent Parlimentary election]...Its members say laws contradicting religion can't be passed.” Meanwhile, the (relatively more moderate) Muslim Brotherhood's party has won about 36.6% of the votes. And the liberal parties, to whom credit has been given for leading the revolts, have won only around 20%.

We'll have to see how it pans out in Egypt. But suffice to say the tensions between secular and religious values and practices are likely to continue in Egypt, and as certainly in all our societies.

“FAITH IN ACTION”

I've just returned from a visit in the South. I was impressed with all the signs along the roads which say, "the only way to heaven is through Jesus." What do these signs really mean? Do the people who post these signs just want to tell the world of their beliefs? Or are those people telling us why they act as they do? Or perhaps are they telling us how we all should act?

According to John 14:6, Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” What might the “only way” or “except through me” mean? What action might this require? Just how should we act?

Here's one answer to those questions. In John 14:12, Jesus says, “...anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.” And in John 14:15, he says, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Interpolating the “greatest commandment,” (Matthew 22:34-40) it would appear that the “only way to heaven” is to love God with your whole heart, and your neighbor as yourself.

I'm reminded of the words of James 1:27, wherein he says: “Religion that God our Father accepts as sure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” For me, this passage restates Jesus' calls to action in John 14:12. James continues, in 2:15-26: “...faith, if not accompanied by action, is dead.” In other words, your actions display your beliefs.

Charles Dickens' classic, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, illustrates this point well. Ebenezer Scrooge initially appears as a stingy businessman, who has no love for his fellow citizens, and no place for kindness or charity in his life. As the story unfolds, he becomes aware of who and what he is, and where this might take him. At the story's end, he has changed his beliefs, and (consequently) he has changed his actions. He has been transformed into a generous and joyous man who takes great interest in his employees and neighbors.

Although Dickens' story is not about religious faith per se, it clearly represents the “action” portion of the James text. Dickens underscores the importance of loving your neighbor as yourself. Not surprisingly, both Judaism and Islam (and other religions) also teach their adherents to care for widows and orphans and protect themselves from the evils of this world. They're doing what Jesus called, “doing what I have been doing.” Doesn't this go a long way toward getting them to the Father too? I hope so.

I wonder if those road signs might carry a clearer message if they read, “the only way to heaven is through loving God with your whole heart, and loving your neighbor as yourself.” I wonder.

“DRIVING, VOTING AND SAUDI ARABIA”

The LOS ANGELES TIMES published two interesting articles this year about the “rights” of women in Saudi Arabia, and of course, this being the western press, both articles linked those “rights” to Islam and Islamic law, called Sharia.

In the June 18 online edition, the TIMES published Alexandra Sandels' article with the headline, “Saudi women get in the driver's seat to defy ban.” Sandels reported that about 3 dozen women had driven that day, defying “the ultra-conservative kingdom's longstanding driving decrees.” Apparently, these women had (have?) driving licenses from other countries. They want to drive for the usual reasons – they need to transport themselves to and from work and shopping, and their children to and from the usual school and after-school activities.

According to the kingdom's rules, women may not drive, nor may they do many “normal” activities without permission from their male guardians. Sounds archaic, doesn't it? Women have been arrested for driving or for organizing protests in favor of women driving.

Jeffrey Fleishman wrote a September 25th article entitled, “Saudi Arabia to allow women to vote.” Not only vote, but to stand as candidates for local office, and serve on the King's advisory council, the Shura Council. Perhaps with an eye to legacy, aging King Abudullah will give women voting rights in the 2015 election. (We in the USA must remember that women's sufferage came to this country in 1920, but only after 70 years of organizing, campaigning, and enduring resistance.)

Fleishman writes: “Abdullah built the country's first coeducational university and has granted 120,000 scholarships to students, many of them women, to study outside the country. Each move was opposed by clerics and religious ultraconservatives in the royal family.” Fleishman calls Saudi Arabia, “...one of the world's most repressive states.” Why are Saudi Arabia's clerics opposed to what we in the west would accept as the normal way to treat women in the electorate, or to support women as students? Simply put, it has to do with how they view Sharia (Islamic law), the rules set out in the Qur'an and in the Sunna, i.e., the collection of cultural “norms” developed from the sayings, teachings and practices of Mohammed. But as in most religious matters, the views on these things are not monolithic.

Sunni Muslims generally recognize one of four schools of thought here, and Shia Muslims a fifth. These schools developed as Islam spread, and people tried to reconcile local customs with Islamic law. The schools range from very conservative to much less so. Moreover, certain transgressions are considered much more significant than others, and more significant penalties are prescribed for them. Those penalties are the ones we in the west often hear about, when they occur.

Muslim–majority countries vary in how they treat women. Unlike Saudi Arabia (and the USA), the three most populous Muslim-majority countries have elected women as leaders: Indonesia elected Megawati Sukarnoputri as president; Pakistan twice elected Benazir Bhutto as prime minister; and Bangladesh elected Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina as prime ministers.

Change is slowly coming to Saudi Arabia. Perhaps inspired by citizens in neighboring countries, some women have decided to take the chance, and are driving. The King is granting women the right to vote. Progressive change is coming, but, as always, not without resistance.

Forgiveness or Revenge?

Greetings to you at Rosh Hashanah. For Jews this is the “head of the year,” the Festival of Trumpets, a new year for people and legal contracts, and it leads to a time of seeking forgiveness.

During the Days of Awe – the time between Rosh Hashanah, September 29, and Yom Kippur, October 7 this year -- a Jew “tries to amend his or her behavior and seek forgiveness for wrongs done against God and against other human beings. The evening and day of Yom Kippur are set aside for public and private petitions and confessions of guilt.” Yom Kippur is the most holy time for Jews.

Forgiving is very nearly a holy act. Those raised in the Christian trahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifdition are taught to forgive. Jesus had instructed his disciple Peter that we are to forgive many times, seventy seven times (or “seventy times seven” times). (See Matthew 18:22) In fact, the story tells us that we can never stop forgiving others who sin against us. Nor should we shy away from seeking others' forgiveness. We pray that God will “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others...”

On August 26, during the last days of Ramadan this year, the New York Times published an article entitled, “As Qaddafi Forces Retreat, a Newly Freed Imam Encourages Forgiveness.”3 David D. Kirkpatrick wrote about Sheik Abdul Ghani Aboughreis, an Imam who had called his congregation to participate in the Libyan uprising. He was soon imprisoned by the loyalists to Gaddafi. Now that he's been released, he's calling for Libyans “to forgive each other, to make sure to leave it to the law and not take revenge on each other.”

To repeat: This Imam is telling his fellow citizens to forgive and not seek revenge.

Will his call be heard? We can hope that it will, and we can look around us and see what our neighbors in this country might do if called upon to “forgive” those who attack/attacked us. In fact, we saw some of those neighbors on September 11, the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade center and the Pentagon, come together in volunteer efforts to assist fellow citizens who need some help. But we saw or heard of others decrying that behavior, demanding more militaristic demonstrations and actions. Those demands hardly look to me like forgiving behavior. They look (or sound) to me more like desire for the revenge the Imam urged his followers to eschew.

Again: What are we children of Abraham taught? In chapter 32 of Deuteronomy, (“The Song of Moses”) at verse 35 God says, “Vengeance is mine, and recompense...” And Paul repeats this message in Romans 12:19.; and in Romans 12:20, Paul restates Proverbs 25:21: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” In chapter 42, verse 43, of the Holy Qur'an it is written, “To endure with fortitude and to forgive is a duty incumbent on all.”

So let's leave revenge to God. Let's learn from those teachings, and focus on forgiveness.

Serving Other Gods?

I keep on my bedside table a little book of daily devotions called, WISDOM OF THE CARPENTER.2 For July 2, the reading (on page 201) is a sentence from the Gospel of Q: “Worship the Lord your God, serving God alone.” The Gospel of Q is thought to have come from an oral tradition of the teachings of Jesus, which evolved into a source for the Gospel of Matthew. This is all discussed in THE LOST GOSPEL3 and other books.

These words are attributed to Jesus as he resists the devil's temptations, notably in Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8. He is quoting the law, specifically Deuteronomy 6:13: “You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve him only [emphasis mine]...”

Devout Orthodox Jews recite every morning and evening the Shema, the verses of Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Verse 4 reminds them of the unity of God: “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One.” And part of the text of the first of the ten commandments, found in Deuteronomy 5:7 says, “You shall have no other gods before me [emphasis mine].”

Included in the Muslim call to prayer, and in the declaration which Muslims make each time they end their five daily prayers, are the words of the Shahada, “There is no god but Allah..." [emphasis mine] Reciting these words reminds them of the supremacy and singularity of God. Moreover, in the Qur'an's first sura (chapter) are the words, “You alone [emphasis mine] we worship, and to You alone [emphasis mine] we turn for help.”

“...serve him only...” “...no other gods...” “...no god but...” “...You alone...” These words demand total allegiance to God, don't they. We spiritual children of Abraham are strictly forbidden to worship any other things. Now, what are examples of other “things” which might be forbidden? Last month, I mentioned money as a possible other master (“You cannot serve two masters...”) or other god. Wealth seems to be a principal goal for many of us in this world, whether we're trying to make ends meet, or trying to accumulate enough for a comfortable retirement. We can easily find ourselves consumed in the struggle to gain wealth, and we usually think we're doing it for the best of reasons.

Power too seems a major goal in our lives, whether we're lifting weights and training to win a competition, or capturing the “right” assets or developing the “right” skills to lead a family or a team, or a community, or a nation. (Recall that in Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8, Jesus was resisting the devil's temptations to power.)

What other “gods” might we be setting up? Youth? Some of us try endless strategies to stay young, or to look younger than we are. Staying physically fit is a “good” goal, but we may have to question cosmetic approaches to appearing different that we are, especially if we're acting out of a “covetous” desire to look younger just to get something.

That devotion for July 2 ends with this little prayer: “Don't let me put anything or anyone ahead of Your will today.” I'll try to remember that loving God and our neighbors, and doing good for them, comes ahead of making more money or gaining more power. Hard as it is, I hope you'll try too.

Serving God or Mammon?

I recently spent some time on the east coast. In one place, I saw two flags on the front of a house, draped over the banister of a second floor deck. The Stars and Stripes displayed in appropriate vertical fashion didn’t surprise me. But right next to it (on the right when viewed from the street) at the same elevation, was the flag of Israel. Seeing those flags, I started thinking about having dual citizenship, and how one might be “loyal” to two countries.


The question is: Can one/Should one divide his/her loyalty? Or must he/she choose one and leave the other? This divided loyalty question brought to mind Jesus’ teaching, not about choosing between two countries, but that we can not serve two Gods.


In Matthew 6:24, Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."


By the way, the Revised Standard Version says, “You cannot serve God and mammon.” Mammon: “god of wealth, regarded as evil or immoral.”(For more on this term, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammon)


"You cannot serve both God and Money.” Pretty clear, isn’t it. You can only be loyal to one. We all probably know how to serve Mammon, and chances are we might be serving too well. Then how can we serve God? We can serve God by doing his commands. In Matthew 22:37, Jesus tells us to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” And similarly, according to Luke 10:28, he tells the lawyer, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, [emphasis mine] and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” See also Leviticus 19:18 (Contemporary English Version), “...I command you to love others as much as you love yourself.”


But can we Americans really serve – be loyal to -- God and not Mammon? Well, some of our citizens will tell you we’re a Christian nation. If that were true, you’d probably be right to expect that this nation would follow Jesus’ teaching and not serve wealth but serve God. We’d be loving and taking care of our neighbors. We’d be honoring our elders, and we would not be stealing, or killing, or coveting what others have.


However, other American citizens will remind you that we’re first a nation devoted to capitalism and free enterprise. Mammon. Elections are often won and lost based on how well the economy is doing, and not on how well our neighbors are faring. In fact, some would say that caring for the free market economy is much more important that caring for our neighbors; and that we can’t “afford” to be caring for our neighbors. That sounds to me suspiciously like serving Money.


Does serving God here in the USA truly mean loving God and our neighbors, and serving both though our national programs? Or are we serving money and wealth first? Do you/we divide your/our loyalty between God and wealth? Is it possible to serve both Gods? Are we trying?

Surrender

The fundamentalists and extremists of whatever tradition often seem to be saying, “I’m right, and anyone who disagrees with me is wrong.” These folks point to a particular passage(s) in their particular scripture(s) as evidence or justification for their perspective. Moreover, those folks accept that printed (or recited) word as authority to act.

These same folks might also point to another group’s scripture to show how “wrong” that group is. For example, some who call themselves Christian may point to a passage in the Holy Qur’an which (they say) calls for war. See, for example, Sura 8:40: “Make war on them [unbelievers] until idolatry shall cease and God’s religion shall reign supreme." (Dawood, N.J., translator, THE KORAN. London 1956, Penguin Books. P 129.) And the “faithful” Christians will use that passage to justify hating Islam, and to claim that Islam is not a religion of peace.

Psalm 137:8-9 also seems to support violent action: “Babylon [or name your favorite enemy here], you are doomed! I pray the Lord’s blessings on anyone who punishes you for what you did to us. May the Lord bless everyone who beats your children against the rocks!” (HOLY BIBLE, Contemporary English Version. New York: 1995, American Bible Society. P. 639) And the faithful may start a war to do the punishing on the Lord’s behalf.

Scriptures can be confusing or ambiguous. Perhaps their most frustrating characteristic is that they can be contradictory. Look again at Psalms, only this time, consider Psalm 46. Verse 9: “[The Lord] makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.” (THE NEW STUDENT BIBLE, New International Version. Grand Rapids, 1986, Zondervan Publishing, P. 517) Here we have a text which reports what God does, not what God wants us to do. In this passage, God actually stops violent behaviors! In this passage, we are not urged to go out and take revenge, nor to begin a war.

In fact, in the very next verse, we’re told to relax, chill out. “Be still, and know that I am God.” The words “be still” come from the Hebrew word rapha which can be translated as “be weak” or “surrender.” (See http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Meditations/Be_Still/be_still.html. Also see http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1245-be-still-and-know-that-i-am-god) I take this to mean that God is instructing us to do exactly the meaning of the Arabic word Islam: Surrender, or submit. We are to know that God is God, and we’re to remember that we’re not God!

You might think that we can’t always be passive, and just let things happen. Many of us raised in the Abrahamic traditions have been taught that we must act, to do God’s will and bring justice. Still, I think it’s good for us to acknowledge that there’s an alternative behavior: It’s always acceptable to act from the Golden Rule, doing unto others what we’d want them to do unto us. And usually that’s NOT starting a war, or doing the vengeful punishing. When we’ve surrendered and let God be God, it’s just easier to treat others well.

(first published May 2011)

It’s May, the month of flowers which result from April Showers. It’s also the month in which Mother’s Day occurs in the US. I’m sitting in my mother’s home, thinking about how lucky I’ve been to have her for my mother. Now, I’m sure that about 99% of all my friends, and of those people I don’t know, feel the same about their mothers. Maybe more than 99%.

Mothers have been recognized by special celebrations since ancient times. Beginning with the ancient Greeks and Romans festivals were kept for Cybele, a mother of Greek gods; and for Juno on the Roman holiday Matronalia.

“One of the early calls to celebrate Mother's Day in the United States was the "Mother's Day Proclamation" by Julia Ward Howe. Written in 1870, it was a pacifist reaction to the carnage of the American Civil War and the Franco-Prussian War. The Proclamation was tied to Howe's feminist belief that women had a responsibility to shape their societies at the political level.” (https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Mother’s_Day)

Anna Marie Jarvis (May 1, 1864, Webster, West Virginia — November 24, 1948, West Chester, Pennsylvania) is the founder of the Mother's Day holiday in the United States. Mother’s Day became a national holiday in the United States in 1914, just a few years after being first celebrated officially in West Virginia, thanks to Jarvis’ efforts. As the US holiday was adopted by other countries and cultures, the date was changed to fit already existing celebrations honoring motherhood, like Mothering Sunday in the UK, or the Orthodox celebration of Jesus in the temple in Greece. In some countries it was changed to dates that were significant to the majority religion, like the Virgin Mary day in Catholic countries, or the birthday of the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad in Islamic countries.

How important is Mother in your life? From Islam comes this teaching: (http://www.articlesbase.com/ezines-and-newsletters-articles/muhammad-paradise-lies-at-the-feet-of-mothers-2836850.html)

A man came to the Prophet Muhammad and asked him, "Who amongst my near ones has the greatest right over me?" Muhammad replied, "Your mother".

The man then asked, "Who after that?" The Prophet replied again, "Your mother".

The man then asked, who is next, and the Prophet again replied, "Your mother".

The man then asked, who after that, and then the Prophet said, "Your father".

According to the website, this Hadith (teaching) illustrates that a mother deserves service, love, submission, obedience and gratitude from the children...a mother generally makes more sacrifices and endures greater hardships than a father while bringing up the children. She feeds them and takes care of them by sacrificing her comforts in the day and her sleep in the night without any greed or compulsion but only out of sheer love and affection...she renders three important services to her children which cannot be done by the father. The mother bears the burden of the child during pregnancy, stands the pains of delivery, and then feeds the child from her breasts. (http://www.articlesbase.com/ezines-and-newsletters-articles/muhammad-paradise-lies-at-the-feet-of-mothers-2836850.html)

May you celebrate your mother every day, not just on Mother’s Day, and be thankful for her.

Worship and Business

It’s Lent. I am reminded of an event from 2,000 years ago. You know the story. It was the season of Passover. It seems that merchants and bankers had set up shop in the courtyards adjacent to the Temple in Jerusalem. There, foreign travelers could exchange their coins for local currency and they could buy animals – cattle, sheep and doves – to offer as sacrifices in the temple. These sacrifices were needed so that the worshipers might properly express their obedience and thanks to their God. Read Leviticus, especially the first 8 chapters for more descriptions about what is to be done, and how. The Temple was the only place where sacrifices could be offered.

Jesus arrived at the Temple, and seeing the selling going on, chased the merchants out, together with their animals. And he overturned the tables of the money changers. Apparently he also overturned the accepted order of things.

I take the point of this story to be that we need to separate the place of worship from the place of commercial activities. But this can also mean separating the acts and times of worship for the acts and times of doing business. This separation would be in keeping with the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. And almost certainly Jesus was acting on Isaiah's message in chapter 56:7, “...for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” That’s the reference in the passage. (Mark 11:15-19; Matthew 21:12-17; Luke 19:45-48; and John 2:13-16)

According to Willis Barnstone, “Market merchants would have been outside the restricted Temple, in the adjacent courtyards where the sacrificial animals were taken to be sold in specific areas reserved for commerce and where non-Jews were permitted to buy and sell. Since commerce was restricted to courtyards, it casts doubt on the location of Jesus' house cleaning as within the Temple itself.” (See Barnstone, Willis, translator, THE RESTORED NEW TESTAMENT. New York, W.W. Norton & Co. 2009. P. 185) I assume the priests condoned the selling.

The story is told in all four of the Gospels so it must be important in Christian history and theology. Various interpretations can be taken. In John's Gospel, the point seems to be to underscore Jesus' divinity. (When questioned by the Jewish leaders about his authority for doing what he did, he says he will rebuild the destroyed temple in three days, foreshadowing his resurrection.) In the three synoptic gospels, Jesus is challenged to tell by what authority he performs his miracles. Still, I think the Gospel writers shared the notion that business should not be done in the sacred space.

Many of us would frown on conducting business in any sanctuary. E.g., several online sources comment on Prophet Muhammad's position on selling things in the Mosque. According to tradition and Islamic law, the Prophet said that, when selling in a Mosque is confronted, one should say, “May Allah not make your business profitable.” So, conducting business there is disliked but a sale conducted there is still valid. (http://en.islamtoday.net/node/1659)

There could be here introduced a whole discussion of selling of indulgences by the Roman Catholic church, and related “money for salvation” activities in the Eastern Orthodox church. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgence) Recall that when Martin Luther wrote his 95 theses against the church, “....condemning what he saw as purchase and sale of salvation,” he set down the basis for the Protestant Revolution. However the topic is well beyond this column, and selling indulgences ceased in 1567, in the Roman church . (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html) Still, I would be suspicious of those who profit by selling things that are allegedly required to properly worship God.

What're your thoughts? Should churches sell things? What things? When is it OK? Where? When is it not?

Living Compassionate Lives

You probably know Karen Armstrong's name. She's the religious historian. She's recently published TWELVE STEPS TO A COMPASSIONATE LIFE. (New York. Alfred A. Knopf, 2011.) What is compassion? Why would we want to live a compassionate life?

According to one on-line dictionary, compassion is, “Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.” (http://www.thefreedictionary.com/compassion , retrieved January 29, 2011) One way to relieve suffering is to reduce causes of suffering. Armstrong tells us that the central tenant of each of the world's major religions is what we know as the “golden rule.” She traces the emergence of the golden rule from Confucius's teaching, saying, “Compassion, therefore, was inseparable from humanity; instead of being motivated by self-interest, a truly humane person was consistently oriented toward others.” (Op. Cit., p. 10)

As restated by Muhammad: "No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” http://www.freewebs.com/muslims_unite/sayingoftheprophetm.htm (Attributed to Muhammad). Retrieved Jan. 29, 2011

She asserts that what has made compassionate thinking (and living) possible was the development of the modern human brain. She says that we humans inherited our survival drives from our reptilian forbears, and those are centered in the hypothalamus, at the base of our brains. But we also evolved “new brains,” the neocortex, where we reason. And humans learned to look out for one another as we learned to live in groups or tribes.

As people began to live in cities, some had the leisure to think, and to understand how the species must go forward. It was during this time that the Israelites began to unify and codify their values and beliefs, and from these arose the modern monotheistic faith traditions. Following the Mosaic Law – honor your parents, don't kill and don't steal or covet – the prophets began to clarify and modernize. Hosea says God wants us to be merciful to others, rather than just following the rituals:

“For I desire mercy, not sacrifice...” Hosea 6:6

About mercy: Mohammed is said to have rebuked his followers for failing to show compassion. "But we do show compassion," they responded, "to our wives, children and relatives." The Prophet insisted, "It is not this to which I refer. I am speaking of universal mercy." http://www.all-creatures.org/murti/tsnhod-11.html. Retrieved January 29, 2011.

Amos decries the oppression of the poor and calls for justice: “You trample on the poor and force him to give you grain...and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts...” (Amos 5: 11-12)

Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and this teaching restates the golden rule. And the Qur'an repeats this:

“Show kindness to parents and kindred, to orphans and to the helpless, to near and distant neighbors, to those that keep company with you, to the traveler in need, and to the slaves you own.” Qur'an 4:36 (Translated by N.J. Dawood. Penguin Books 1990)

Mercy, justice, love and kindness are conditions which all of us desire for ourselves. They each represent different faces of compassion. So: Why would we want to live compassionate lives? Because, by living with compassion, we act on our words. We are doing to others what we would want them to do to/for/with us.

Shaping World History

I recently read Edward Rothstein’s article, “Abraham’s Progeny, and Their Texts,”¹ about a New York Public Library show of sacred texts from the three Abrahamic faiths. In it, he wrote:

“And while the three [religions] share many traits — these are not primarily meditative or contemplative religions, after all, and they are indeed historical faiths, concerned with action, even with mission — their commonalities also lead to profound contrasts. . . . all three religions saw themselves as shaping world history [emphasis mine].”

We all have probably thought about how these religions have roles in “shaping world history.” I’m reminded how often we’re admonished to “be the change we want to see,” and where else are we taught how things “should be” than in our religious schools and services? Our contemporary American press often speaks negatively about what Madrassas might be teaching young Muslim children. But we’ve always had those sorts of teachers. What Christian child has not heard or sung, “Onward Christian Soldiers?”

Christian believers certainly have helped to “shape history.” Read about the Crusades, wherein Christians went to the Holy Land to liberate it from the Muslims. Or, read about how the European colonists brought Christianity to the Native peoples of North and South America through conquest and conversion. Read about the various inquisitions:

“. . . .1578 handbook for inquisitors spelled out the purpose of inquisitorial penalties: ... quoniam punitio non refertur primo & per se in correctionem & bonum eius qui punitur, sed in bonum publicum ut alij terreantur, & a malis committendis avocentur. Translation from the Latin: "... for punishment does not take place primarily and per se for the correction and good of the person punished, but for the public good in order that others may become terrified [emphasis mine] and weaned away from the evils they would commit.”²

We don’t know much about the Jewish people as evangelists, but, like the Christians, they too conquered, and inflicted all the terrors of war we can imagine. Read books of Judges, Kings and Samuel to understand the role these people played in shaping history. For example, read Judges 3:12-30. The story tells us that, because the Israelites “did evil in the eyes of the Lord,” the king of Moab, with the help of the Ammonites and the Amalekites, subdued Jericho, and ruled there for 18 years. But Ehud, one of the Israelites, assassinated the king; and then Ehud led the Israelites in killing 10,000 Moabites. “Not a man escaped.” (The New Student Bible, New International Version)

In the very next chapter of Judges, we read how Deborah had sent for Barak to lead an army against Sisera, the commander of the Canaanites’ army. Barak’s army defeated the oppressors: “At Barak’s advance, the Lord routed Sisera and all his chariots and army by the sword. . . Not a man was left.” There follows a graphic description of how a woman killed Sisera, after she’d agreed to hide him. In almost all of the examples of the Jews’ warlike actions found in the Old Testament, the terrors inflicted by those people were done with the help or leadership of the Lord.

These are but a few examples of how the Abrahamic faiths have played important roles in shaping world history. What other examples can you think of?