Today's blog is short and sweet. We had some friends over for dinner last night. They are wonderful people and I'm proud to call them friends. One of the things I love about them, is that they are devout Christians who actively seek God and deeper levels of truth in their daily lives.
I watched a documentary on religion and man's spiritual beliefs once, don't recall the name of it off hand, but at one point during the film I was brought to tears. Something I saw moved me in such a way that I couldn't NOT be effected by it (by the by, you know it's real truth when it moves you like that).
What I saw was just this: There were two friends, two old men who were the best of friends. One was a Jew and the other was a Palestinian. They were talking about the differences in their beliefs and the shere hatred that surrounded them, but that how God was the space between, like a bridge between them.
It was just the way they were silent after it was said, nodding at each other, smiling, and tearing up.
It was incredibly beautiful.
Powerful.
Anyone who knows anything about the conflict in that part of the world, and how it all stems from religious beliefs - the killing, the hatred, all of the pain that has taken place because of the clash of two differing faiths, and yet here were two old men at opposite ends, in the midst of a war zone, an Earthly hell by all standards - and yet, they were bound by friendship and love.
God is the space between. The bridge between your truth and mine, and not that I should cross to your side, or you should be convinced to come to mine, but that we meet where God is and let love be the bridge that binds us.
I love my friends. Not because they think the way I do. Not because of what I can get from them, or how they make me feel. I love that they have their own beliefs, but most of all, I love that in spite of our very distinct differences, they never fail to meet me in the middle, in that silent in between where God lives.
Well said, Adam. And really, at the end of the day, isn't that what LOVE is supposed to be about? Meeting in the middle. Appreciating the differences without feeling the need to have the person agree with all your own beliefs? Thank you for sharing this story. Its really quite beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat's "truth"! It's an unbiased, always there, silent, compassion filled, beautiful thing! Love this, and love you <3
ReplyDeleteI love that space. Rumi said, "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about."
ReplyDeleteI believe the docu you were thinking of is "Oh My God"... that scene brought me to tears, as well...
Is this god/truth/love you speak of in the space between a satanist and a radical jihadist? Does this god bridge their beliefs? Is there truth between what the jihadist does with explosives strapped to his chest, and what the satanist does to animals? The jihadist certainly feels that in his conscience he is performing a rightdoing by killing infidels. The satanist feels the same in his doings. Does truth really bridge all religions? Do they all point like road signs to the god in the space between? What about the tibetan monk performing a sky burial where he chops dead bodies up into pieces so the vultures wont leave anything behind? Who decides whether these are rightdoings or wrongdoings? Where is the space? It is an act of love for the tibetan to his deceased. If this god you speak of is the common love they all share... do you serve your god? Do you want to aspire to be like him? If it isnt god/truth/love, then who decides what is? Does this space where god is repect the different ways these cultures and people groups express love?
ReplyDeleteI would like to add... outside of rightdoing and wrongdoing, what is love? Is it different for different people, or is there a universal definition? The religions and worldviews of the peoples of earth do not celebrate a universal love. But rather love is expressed differently in each. To some its killing other humans, to some its self mutilation, to some its treating others as you would like to be treated, to some its dying for their god, to some its not killing any life, even the life of an ant. To some its expressing an act that was shown to us by the author of love.
ReplyDeleteBtw... i hope u know im not slamming your post. While i disagree with the way you think about truth and god, and i think your recipe for them is always changing to fit different circumstances, i am touched by your affection and love towards us. Your post was thoughtful.
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ReplyDeleteTommy, while there is a lot of me that wants to retaliate to your hurtful comments, more of me knows your heart and loves you regardless.
ReplyDelete"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God." Matt 5:9
to Tommy-
ReplyDeleteTo use examples of Jihadists and Satanists is predictable, tired and lazy. How sad that you felt the need to take such a beautiful encouragement to love and to seeking the sameness in us all, and twist it into a hurtful diatribe promoting separation and division. In any group there will be extremists, haters, and those driven by fear. This is not love, and to think otherwise is foolish. We are all born with an intuitive sense of what is right and wrong- just watch any toddler and you know this to be true. This requires no religious instruction, and is not exclusive to any one culture or belief structure. We react in fear where there is the absence of love, and even your Bible reminds us that "perfect love casts out all fear".
If the argument resides in listing the many atrocities committed against so many humans, both in our present and in history, I would remind you to read your Bible more carefully... was it not the Christian God who demanded the wholesale massacre of so many cultures, including women, children and livestock?
But here is the perfect example of Adam's message- we can never reach peace with our fellow humans while pointing the finger at the other, snarling at one another about 'who started it', who killed more people, who is 'more' right... Are you not, as a follower of Jesus, commanded to love your enemies, forgive those who persecute you?
I wonder that our definition of love as children changes so much as we become adults. We teach our little ones to forgive the schoolyard bully, to look past the criticisms and wounds of others, then encourage them to take up arms against those that think differently than them, calling God by another name. If this is not schizophrenic, then I don't know what is. No wonder we are so polarized in our world- we are divided in our own hearts, so how could we possible love anyone outside ourselves?
I write these comments knowing full well that they are likely to be dissected, torn apart, and invalidated by any means you see fit in order to walk away feeling "right". And this simply proves the point. It is not until we begin removing the high fences we have built to separate ourselves from one another that we will discover that we are all the same, seeking peace in the light of God, by whatever name God is called. Why not spend our energy more productively, starting to pull those structures down?
Spoken with wisdom in my humble opinion. Pointing out the dumpster dive to despicable acts by extremists was insightful and valuable to the discussion. The whole point is to embrace the space between as the shared human experience. Having to prove oneself "right" is highly overrated and ultimately divisive. We are all much more alike in our very human-ness than we are different.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to have offended some of you. It was not my intent. I have no problem removing myself from these posts. My family loves all of you guys with the same love that the Bible teaches us. If these discussion becomes a barrier between us, I will remove myself quickly. I am sorry.
ReplyDeleteI simply have questions that have not been answered. My responses are not lazy. I put much thought and labor into what I say and post on these discussions. Please read my blog post on my response to the Jesus Interrupted book by Bart Ehrman. You will see that I do not treat these things lighlty. I am a logical studied thinker that simply asks valid questions that deserve respect and answers. I encourage questions regarding my faith, and I do my best to answer them in a clear and conise manner.
I try to do my best to make my answers clear, understandble and graspable. If you have questions regarding why you read about "the wholesale massacre of..." please refer me to a the passage of the story you are referring to, and we can investigate it further. There is always an amazing truth behind all of the old testament pictures that all of us can learn from.
Again, I simply ask questions.
Sarah, I wasn't making the argument that Love is in these horrible acts. I was asking YOU if they were. I was using your definition, (the one that Adam has been trying to articuate over the last month or so) to determine if Love was in between the beliefs of these people groups/cultures, and practices. Furthermore, who gives you the right to say whether or not what they are doing is extreme? Do 100 million muslims not think we are the most extreme culture on the planet? Where do we get this innate sense of right and wrong? Sarah, you mentioned this was evident in small children. Where does it come from??
It is not my wish to separate myself from you all. I am trying to understand your belief system. Please answer the questions in my last post. Again, I am sorry if I offended anyone. If my responses continue to offend, I will remove myself from this thread. I value Adam's friendship more then I value this discourse. He knows that I have no intention of creating dissention between us by these activities.