The More Things Change...

And still, after all this time, the Sun has never said to the Earth, "You owe me." Look what happens with love like that. It lights up the sky.

-- Hafez (1329-1385), Persian poet

One would hope that, when it comes to interfaith ministries, the adage "the more things change, the more they stay the same" would seem out of place. The unfortunate reality seems to be that, even in not-so-mainstream religions, this has not been the case. For instance, many broke away from the mainstream organized Christian churches to pursue their own biblical interpretations just to find that they were just as overbearing or more so than the traditional church they left. Historically, we've been told this country was founded by people fleeing religious persecution, yet the faithful in this same country seem to persecute at every turn. 

Poet and social critic Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) wrote, “Protestantism has the method of Jesus with His secret too much left out of mind; Catholicism has His secret with His method too much left out of mind; neither has His unerring balance, His intuition, His sweet reasonableness. But both have hold of a great truth, and get from it a great power.” We seem to spend more time celebrating the "great power" than the "great truth."

“Any person who, with all the sincerity of heart, is in search for God, on land or in the sea, is worthy of respect.”

-- Riaz Ahmed Gohar Shah, spiritual leader

I think this happens as we try to ensure any change being made is for the best and the new found freedom of belief is protected. To accomplish this there must, of course, be rules to guarantee this protection. What we generally end up with is a cure that is worse than the malady we sought to escape.

I left mainstream Christianity for a multitude of reasons, hypocrisy not being the least. As a self-proclaimed hypocrite in my own right, I struck out on my chosen path to see if there wasn't a better way; to find a more forgiving and loving God than one wielding the wrath of fire and brimstone promised to us in a sacred text that was written by men with personal agendas, brought together by a council of men with personal agendas, historically led by men with personal agendas. A sacred text rife with inconsistencies and contradictions, and purported to be the one indisputable "Word of God."

I was expected to place my entire faith on this collection of poorly translated documents written, for the most part, years after the events, by people that might not have even been there; in other words, hearsay and conjecture or parables intended as an explanation.  It would seem these poor translations of documents with questionable origin were interpreted by priests and monks, with questionable education, being driven by the politics and beliefs of their particular period in world history.  Yet, the faithful keep holding up this Scripture as a holy shield to ward off any other hypocrisy not their own and ensure the offenders are damned to hell for all eternity.  Really? 

“What Does It Matter What We Believe, as long as we treat others the way we want to be treated?”

-- Jeffrey A. White, author 

I respect your right to follow your own path and faith, but I cannot have faith in your interpretation of a "loving God" you say touts the tenets of forgiveness, acceptance, peace, and understanding, and yet would damn me to hell simply for believing better of Him.  My evidence for confusion would be the hypocrisy in using these very tenets to excuse multiple Crusades, Inquisitions, witch trials, and the forced ignorance of the "Dark Ages."

I think the possibility that the Christian Church has been manipulating us for the last 2100 years should be of some great concern.  I mean, if our sacred texts are not the "Word of God" here on Earth, what are we left with, the "Word of God" inspired by men with agendas?  If we burn all the sacred texts in the world, what would we rely on to guide us?  If we don't have rules written down, rings to kiss on the fingers of leaders we hope won't diddle our children, and ministers that frequent whore houses, abscond with the tithed earnings, or demand multiple jets and home to entertain wealthy donors, what would we base our fear on?  How about we put all of this aside and try finding a kinder, gentler, faith?

I'm tired of seeing huge cathedrals, not required by scripture, being built on the backs of the faithful while the poor, most faithful themselves, are homeless and hungry.  I'm tired of watching ministers and priests traveling in late model cars or private jets while partitioners scrape together a weekly "tithe" not required in scripture.  I'm tired of the Vatican art collection, gold jewelry, $5000 suits, and mansions being more important to mainstream religion than the poor.

There has to be better.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

-- Marianne Williamson, author, lecturer, spiritual teacher

I became ordained, not as a joke, but as another step down a chosen path. Part of that path was to find a discussion group of like thinkers that also wanted to broaden their views on interfaith ministry. What I found has been, so far, very disappointing. The overbearing rules of mainstream religion are solidly in place in online discussion groups, for the most part, to protect those few that might be offended by reality; the reality being that the world is an ugly place. Some of these "ministers" want to embrace the best of humanity and turn a blind eye to the worst, kind of like the mainstream religion they left, and should probably return to. Some are perpetually offended by anything perceived as "not them."

One should have high hopes that serious "interfaith" ministers would want to have mature, open discussion on a variety of timely topics to ensure they are well armed when out in the world.  It is very unfortunate that every discussion group I have found, so far, has fallen very short of embracing maturity.  Where Gestapo tactics are a rule of thumb, freethinking is left crucified on the closeminded cross of intolerant ignorance.

Every religion contains, in varying degrees, elements of the soft and the hard. For the sake of world peace, dialogue within religions and among them must strengthen the softer aspects.

-- Johan Galtung, sociologist, mathemetician

In this world of Islamic heretics, terrorist beheadings, mass kidnappings, rape, school shootings, abortion, gender dysphoria, abortion, identity politics, homosexuality, workplace and domestic violence, erectile dysfunction and male pattern baldness, one would hope for a discussion group of mature adults that would embrace the idea of open, honest, peaceful, creative debate and discussion where we can agree to disagree without a fear of feeling offended or of offending others.  Shouldn't a minister be above the pettiness of feeling offense? 

The more things change, the more they stay the same?  Change is the only constant in the universe, right?  Of course, but changes still have to abide by the laws of the universe and, when humans are writing the laws, fear of change will make any change look very similar to what was being changed.  This is human nature.  We tend to be very afraid of change.

"The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays."

-- Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855), Danish philosopher

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.