Here are some serious questions I should consider if I am interested in living in the unity which I believe is already ours yet to be manifested:
- Do I truly believe that everyone has the right to their own beliefs or lack thereof?
- Can I respect the person, even though I may not respect their ideas?
- Do I have the capacity to recognize my own fallacies?
- Will it kill me if I were wrong?
- Am I able to hold what I believe is truth lightly in the interest of dialog?
- Can I overlook and maybe even appreciate the idiosyncrasies of others in order to hear what they have to say?
- Am I willing to discern the deeper currents rather than being distracted by the surface ripples?
- Can everyone play? In other words, will I not ostracize someone because of their beliefs or lack thereof?
- Is personal harm to others the only prohibition I am willing to make?
- Do I love all beings, and if not, am I willing?
I could go on, but a list of 10 is a good start.
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David Hayward is an artist trapped in a pastor's body, stripping to the essential.
Alex said: I think these are all questions that we can practice at, and constantly be thinking about when we’re living together and dialoging. I don’t think I’m terrible at all of these things, but I think pretending like I know the answers to ALL of these questions would be pretty self righteous of me.
——————-So, Alex, is it self righteous of those who have an answer?
YOU: I just don’t think any of these questions are that simple.
Things like … will it kill me if I’m wrong? I could say no, but that’s just my ideal.
———————Might it be that the question resonates differently for you than for someone else? For you the question may very well illicit more questions; however, for me the question is simple and straighforward, therefore the answer is easy.
YOU:Its so interesting that as soon as someone presents a list of questions, people feel the need to respond with a list of answers.
————–Surely you don’t think David asked or asks questions in a vacum? He is trying to get answers. And some folks may have already thought of the questions and have their answers.
fishon
Alright sure I’ll go there.
fishon: So, Alex, is it self righteous of those who have an answer?
————– … Well, yes. Because you don’t have any answers to these questions. These questions aren’t a matter of right and wrong, they’re a list of questions we should be considering in our communities. For example, I can say that my answer to the first question is “Yes.” And I do believe that. But that answer only opens up another boat load of questions. For the people who believe religiously in human sacrifice, and the people who believe that women are lesser than men, to anyone homophobic OR homosexual, to the CHRISTIANS out there who don’t believe in the literal resurrection. to anyone that anyone could ever disagree with. That answer applies to them. So I really need to think about that question when I’m speaking to them, because even if I disagree with them … I need to be willing to hold the truth lightly in the interest of dialog (5).
you: Might it be that the question resonates differently for you than for someone else? For you the question may very well illicit more questions; however, for me the question is simple and straighforward, therefore the answer is easy.
————– Yes, it might be that the question resonates differently for me. But the fact that it does resonate differently should probably open up a whole new set questions for you too, not just for me, because you DID answer yes to the first question on this list, so its not about one person having the answer and the other not, its about two people having completely different answers and both believing them to be right. Then you have an issue, because who in that situation is self righteous? I guess we all are.
you: Surely you don’t think David asked or asks questions in a vacum? He is trying to get answers. And some folks may have already thought of the questions and have their answers.
————– I didn’t mean to imply that God never answers our questions, because that’s not at all what I said. I only meant that having answers that don’t lead to more questions is a pretty Godly quality, the kind I don’t think I’ll ever have. Which is why I take comfort in questions. The questions I’m asking don’t show me how far I have to go, they show me how far I’ve come with God.
It just always makes me uneasy when someone releases a list of answers to questions that gray at best, not black and white. If there’s anything I’ve learned, its to not pretend like I know anything about anything. Ever.
For Lynn!
I do agree. I feel like there’s a sense of openness in this discussion that’s quite welcoming. Most of the time, anyways. And i also agree with the fact that communities like this should be more open to non believers as well. And not just from a “Hey maybe we could convert them” perspective. I’m talking about from an entirely open, “we can still be connected as people even though you don’t believe in God” sort of perspective.
I learned this when someone in our community sent a message to us that said “How bibly do you think its going to be tonight? I kind of want to bring someone”. I got really upset, not just based on the fact that he asked “a question like that”, but that he was embarrassed of how bibly it might have been. It offended me at first.
But then I realized that he might be right. Maybe a service being to Bibly as opposed to being … Godly. Is and issue. Because God can take many more forms than just the Bible. God sits down with us when we eat if we invite him, so maybe having a family dinner all together is what a church service can look like.
I think you would love our community here in London, ON. Its not big, 20 or so, and not popular or anything trendy like that haha, but its full of wonderful, diverse people who all love each other despite their differences.
Alex said: It just always makes me uneasy when someone releases a list of answers to questions that gray at best, not black and white. If there’s anything I’ve learned, its to not pretend like I know anything about anything. Ever.
————If I understand you correctly, you have decided that most questions are gray, therefore can not have black and white answers. I just find it interesting that someone [you aren't the only one] who would declare David’s questions at only having gray area answers, can be so black and white in that declaration.
And one other thing, the questions where addressed to the individual. There were questions addressed to:::1.Do I truly believe that everyone has the right to their own beliefs or lack thereof?—————–So, do I believe? Yes, I believe. Not do we, you and I. So, Alex, no gray area———-If you maintain that my answer is gray, then you are trying to take control of MY answer.
fishon
Wow!
I love this list NP. I hear you!