Be like the Amish
I have a lover's quarrel with religion.
The world's faith traditions have given us much that is good. The Golden Rule—do unto others as you would have them do unto you—is found in most faiths, if not all.
But sadly, that exhortation is honored more in the breach than the observance. Certainly, Christianity and Islam are not concerned with such niceties. Missionary religions seek to create a utopia of believers, and for that utopia to be made manifest all must bow to the religion.
The United States, contrary to every other polity of the time, was found upon the principle of religious neutrality. The government would not impose a state religion on its citizens. Each person was free to practice whatever religion he or she wanted.
Inherent in this was the right to practice no religion. It's certainly the road I've taken.
But the thing is that a country which was founded on not imposing religions harbored within it many sects which wanted to do just that. For them, their eschatology mandated that they save the souls of their neighbors, no matter the cost. "I will pray for you," is the common response.
Now, for myself, I will never turn down thoughts and prayers when I've solicited them. And I will never turn down or disown prayers offered for my wellbeing. But what I will rail at is prayers offered for my salvation. My position is "Thanks, you don't have to save me. I'll take my chances." My view of the divine is much more expansive and ecumenical than those who feel they must save me from eternal damnation. If the God of Creation can't tolerate my disbelief, then how is he a god? He should be above such concerns.
The graphic which fronts this piece makes me think of the Amish.
The Amish never try to impose their faith on anyone. They don't seek to take over government to usher in a Christian nation. They don't go door-to-door to spread their faith. The Amish are a unique community. And one chooses to be Amish. They allow their young adults to go on Rumspringa, where they get to taste life outside the community, and then decide if they wish to commit their lives to the community. They must make the conscious choice, having experienced what was on the outside.
My wife's sainted father was a Bible-believing Christian. And he once remarked to her that she should work on saving my soul. Her response was: "Dad, he's studied faiths, beyond ours. He's come to his decision." Which was when I knew she was the one for me. She respected my choice. Like the Amish, she wasn't going to base her relationship with me on whether I believed as she did.
I often speak about grace. Like I said, I take many lessons from faith traditions. And grace is the greatest one. I give grace to those who don't believe as I do. But I expect it in return. I don't want you knocking at my door. I don't want you spamming my Facebook page. Again, thank you, but I don't need you to save me. I'll take my chances. The grace I accord you to live your life is the same grace I wish you to accord me. This is the only way a pluralistic democracy can survive.
People like Marjorie Taylor Greene who speak of the wonders of Christian nationalism don't get it. Perhaps I wouldn't be sent to the camps; but neither would I be a full citizen. And that is a betrayal of the founding principles of this Republic. We are nearing a point in our evolution as a human culture where we should eschew any effort to convert others to our ways of life. We should respect each other, and live and let live, if that doesn't impact on a civil society. Those who wish to impose themselves on others are in the wrong. What they do to others can quite quickly be done to them as the winds turn. But their theologies don't take that into account. Turnabout is fair play.
I will never tell someone to not pray for my health, my progress, my living a good life. But I don't need anyone's prayers for my salvation, for my immortal soul. If such things are real, then I expect that a universal God is not so narrow-minded as her creations. And that's as it should be.
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