The Pizza Resistance (My Old Blog)
Friday, November 24, 2006
Muslim Dialogue I
I say "Muslim Dialogue I" because I hope there will be more. I work with a guy who is a Syrian-born Muslim. By and large, he is a nice guy and I genuinely like him, even if I don't always understand him. So we talk sometimes.
The other day, we were talking about an atheist guy who talks to him from time to time. The atheist guy tries to show him "the error of his ways." He (the atheist) was pointing out all the violent passages in the Koran. And my friend told him that he misunderstood something about Islam. It is not a "turn the other cheek" religion. It may be a "religion of peace" as we are so often told, but it is not a passivist peace. It is a religion that defends the oppressed. It a faith that puts wrongs to right, sometime by force (if that's what it takes). He (my friend) says it is not a matter of defending Islam per se, that it doesn't matter if the oppressed person or people are Muslim or Christian or whatever. As a Muslim, he must defend those who are wronged.
This kind of crystalized a lot of what I have been thinking about American/Muslim (and Christian/Muslim) relations. We are using the same words (like "peace") but these words don't mean the same things. It also illustrated the major difference I see between Islam & Christianity. Jesus taught us to overlook offenses. To forgive. And this is something that Islam emphatically (according to my friend) does NOT teach.
It's also something I don't see taught in a lot of American Christianity. There is a lot of time spent defending ourselves. Defending our rights. Looking for new and different ways to be offended. (The War on Christmas, anybody?) And you know what? Those kind of things will always be there. Because people will always hurt us. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes (more often than not) unintentionally. Because people are broken. It's a sickness called sin, and we all have it. And there is only one way to combat it. And it's not by "standing up for our rights." It is by demonstrating true love. Forgiveness. Turning the other cheek. Doing unto other as we would have them do to us.
If we want to see the Muslim world changed (and this country, for that matter) it starts with living out these things Jesus taught. It will happen when we decide that praying for God to send His kingdom to earth as it is in heaven is not enough. It will happen when we decide to be agents that bring the kingdom of heaven here.
"Do not merely listen to the word, as so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." -James 1:22
Christianity/Islam
The other day, we were talking about an atheist guy who talks to him from time to time. The atheist guy tries to show him "the error of his ways." He (the atheist) was pointing out all the violent passages in the Koran. And my friend told him that he misunderstood something about Islam. It is not a "turn the other cheek" religion. It may be a "religion of peace" as we are so often told, but it is not a passivist peace. It is a religion that defends the oppressed. It a faith that puts wrongs to right, sometime by force (if that's what it takes). He (my friend) says it is not a matter of defending Islam per se, that it doesn't matter if the oppressed person or people are Muslim or Christian or whatever. As a Muslim, he must defend those who are wronged.
This kind of crystalized a lot of what I have been thinking about American/Muslim (and Christian/Muslim) relations. We are using the same words (like "peace") but these words don't mean the same things. It also illustrated the major difference I see between Islam & Christianity. Jesus taught us to overlook offenses. To forgive. And this is something that Islam emphatically (according to my friend) does NOT teach.
It's also something I don't see taught in a lot of American Christianity. There is a lot of time spent defending ourselves. Defending our rights. Looking for new and different ways to be offended. (The War on Christmas, anybody?) And you know what? Those kind of things will always be there. Because people will always hurt us. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes (more often than not) unintentionally. Because people are broken. It's a sickness called sin, and we all have it. And there is only one way to combat it. And it's not by "standing up for our rights." It is by demonstrating true love. Forgiveness. Turning the other cheek. Doing unto other as we would have them do to us.
If we want to see the Muslim world changed (and this country, for that matter) it starts with living out these things Jesus taught. It will happen when we decide that praying for God to send His kingdom to earth as it is in heaven is not enough. It will happen when we decide to be agents that bring the kingdom of heaven here.
"Do not merely listen to the word, as so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." -James 1:22
Christianity/Islam
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Hmm... In many of our conversations and in your writings, I believe I am seeing a common theme of "personalizing religion." I think as Americans, we have a history of being a Christian nation - the nation itself was Christian, so we didn't have to think about being Christian. For example, Christmas wasn't a problem because everyone celebrated, creches on the town square, "Merry Christmas" hanging from the light posts, etc.
But over the last several decades, we ceased being a Christian nation - being Christian at the national level. We can no longer let American culture take care of our Christianity for us. We must embrace our Christianity on a personal level. We must take responsibility for our own Christianity.
I think that's part of why we "defend our rights." We're really trying to hold on to what we know, because we're not sure of what to do without it. How do we celebrate Christmas if we have to do it on the family level instead of the city level? And if everyone around us doesn't believe and act the same way we do, how can we be sure that we're right? Holy cow, might we have to strike out on our own, think for ourselves, and stop being lemmings?
But when we stop counting on our culture to take care of religion for us, our religion will take care of our culture. When we personalize our belief system, really buy into it, and then actually start acting on it, we will be changed. I believe that at that point, others will take notice (because it's genuine) and they'll want in on it. So person by person...
So is it a micro/macro cycle? It starts out at a micro/personal level... Spreads from person to person, each buying in totally, believing personally, and acting on those beliefs... But then a critical mass is reached at some point, where general beliefs cease being a personal thing and become a macro/cultural thing... At which point individuals don't buy in so deeply, because they don't have to explain or defend or debate their beliefs since everyone pretty much agrees... And then with no substance inside the sphere of belief, the sphere eventually begins to implode... And religious belief returns to the micro/individual level, to be internalized and personalized... And the process begins again.
But over the last several decades, we ceased being a Christian nation - being Christian at the national level. We can no longer let American culture take care of our Christianity for us. We must embrace our Christianity on a personal level. We must take responsibility for our own Christianity.
I think that's part of why we "defend our rights." We're really trying to hold on to what we know, because we're not sure of what to do without it. How do we celebrate Christmas if we have to do it on the family level instead of the city level? And if everyone around us doesn't believe and act the same way we do, how can we be sure that we're right? Holy cow, might we have to strike out on our own, think for ourselves, and stop being lemmings?
But when we stop counting on our culture to take care of religion for us, our religion will take care of our culture. When we personalize our belief system, really buy into it, and then actually start acting on it, we will be changed. I believe that at that point, others will take notice (because it's genuine) and they'll want in on it. So person by person...
So is it a micro/macro cycle? It starts out at a micro/personal level... Spreads from person to person, each buying in totally, believing personally, and acting on those beliefs... But then a critical mass is reached at some point, where general beliefs cease being a personal thing and become a macro/cultural thing... At which point individuals don't buy in so deeply, because they don't have to explain or defend or debate their beliefs since everyone pretty much agrees... And then with no substance inside the sphere of belief, the sphere eventually begins to implode... And religious belief returns to the micro/individual level, to be internalized and personalized... And the process begins again.
I don't know that I'd say "personalizing." That implies (to me anyway) that it is something we as Christians can do alone. Which is not something I believe at all. Christianity is something we practice together, in community. But not as a national community. Not a community under compulsion (which I think is what a national community becomes). But as a local community. And as a voluntary community. People who choose to submit to God and to each other.
But yeah, I am a micro over macro guy, I guess b/c I see the macro being made up of lots of micros.
But yeah, I am a micro over macro guy, I guess b/c I see the macro being made up of lots of micros.
By "personalize" I mean "taking it down to the personal level". I'm thinking in terms of having a belief that you actually believe in, rather than accepting by default because it's the cultural norm. I'm not meaning a faith that belongs only to you that you don't share with anyone. I mean a faith that comes from within and goes out as opposed to a faith supplied to you by the culture, that you don't take "personally" - a faith by default.
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