MWR : Interfaith misunderstanding in America

Last updated September 12.

Send letters to the editor, or suggestions for our stories or Web site, to MWR‘s editors.

September 12

Print this blog post.

3 comments on this blog post.

North America Interfaith relations

Interfaith misunderstanding in America

By Brian McLaren

Page:

It’s been a great year for interfaith misunderstanding in America.

There was a U.S. senator’s wild allegation about Islamic extremists infiltrating the American government.

There are the ridiculous — and ongoing — claims about a conspiracy to “impose sharia law in America,” starting in Kansas and North Carolina, of all places!

And then there’s the persistent myth — like many other myths, strangely popular among Fox News viewers — that Barack Obama is a Muslim, accompanied by the belief that being so, if it were true, would be a scandalous thing.

Then there were debunked claims — purveyed by the website of a Christian organization ostensibly pursuing justice — that the Muslim Brotherhood was crucifying their Christian opponents. The post is still up, with the words “Stop Christian genocide in Egypt” prominently displayed.

And then there’s the perpetual news about the latest hijinks of this or that crazed pastor, imam, rabbi or priest who — despite their different traditions — manage to mirror one another’s stellar misunderstanding of “the other.”

Muslims, of course, feel the heat of these misunderstandings. The Sikh community feels it as never before.

Whatever our faith tradition, we all should take the dangers of interfaith misunderstanding seriously because all of us — Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, agnostics, everyone — are affected.

Interfaith misunderstanding is a contagious disease. Misunderstanding among “us” begets hostility against “them,” and hostility against “them” begets more hostility, which eventually circles back against “us.” As the global fever of interfaith hostility rises, everybody potentially finds himself in somebody’s crosshairs.

But beyond practical reasons for countering interfaith hostility with interfaith benevolence, there are powerful moral reasons for doing so.

continued on next page »

Page:

Comments

there is this technique (i'm sure it has a name, but I don't know it) where within one's article one can shut doors with language and keep doors open with silence.

What doors of silence are a kept open with this article and where might they lead? Do you think one is following Jesus the Christ when walking through these doors?

I will speak some of the unspoken: Do any risks of faith exist when using empathy to love an enemy? is it possible for one to lose sight of Jesus and become more like one's enemy through this process? why doesn't Brian mention any of this?

Emotional detachment does not mean avoiding the feeling of empathy; it is actually more of an awareness of empathetic feelings that allows the person space needed to rationally choose whether or not to be overwhelmed or manipulated by such feelings.

- one9 (sep 13 at 1:10 p.m.)
I'm reminded of the theory of "critical distance", where it is vital to our traditions to have those on the "outside" calling our tradition to account, challenging and calling into question our own beliefs, practices...etc. Also in dialogue with the other, we first and foremost seek to understand by way of listening. Until we can learn to do just that, understanding will not become part of us or our practice. This is where schisms are perpetuated even further and wars are waged.

- Andy (sep 13 at 5:10 p.m.)
In response to one9's questions "Do any risks of faith exist when using empathy to love an enemy? is it possible for one to lose sight of Jesus and become more like one's enemy through this process?" There is risk. We who have a strong identity to put on the table need to take that risk. We should live in tension with people who have different identities. One can refuse such tension by trying to dominate, control, or suppress them. One can refuse such tension by avoiding, hiding, or fleeing them. Fight or flight. But we have a third option. We can commit to life in tension. They will know we are Christians by our love, our commitment to live together even while struggling over our differences--not by our unanimity.

- John Fairfield (sep 21 at 8:39 a.m.)

Comment on the blog post Interfaith misunderstanding in America

Please keep comments civil. MWR editors reserve the right to remove any comment. When posting a comment, you agree to the MWR Comments Policy. Name and comment will be posted; commenters are strongly encouraged to give their full name. Email address is for follow-up only and will not be made public.