An interfaith initiative

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An interfaith initiative

Saturday, August 11, 2012

It is possible to work with selfishness, we can all recognise it.

Unfortunately “good and evil” are the two polarities of some people’s spiritual outlook. We do ourselves a disservice by such an either/or, black and white lookout. The determination of behaviour as being either loving and “selfless” or alternatively as more “selfish” and self-centred will contribute to our lives. It seems difficult and beyond us to work with evil because it is such an absolute.

For me an important spiritual truth of Christianity is contained where Jesus, of his free will, gave his life as an ultimate sacrifice and thereby symbolically defeated evil.

Continually recognising the belief in evil does not serve us well. The belief in evil is the evil.

A devout Christian may view their God as the only God, i.e. “have no other Gods but me”. Here any other way of viewing what is of supreme importance in life is possibly seen as “of the devil” and evil. There may be little sense here of encouraging fellowship with others of a different outlook. Atheists and humanists, Moslems, Buddhists and Hindus may seem somehow foreign, alien and of the “enemy”.

Lately I have been spending time with an atheist friend. Without a doubt he is the most interesting person I know. His interest in the wellbeing of the world we live in, his vitality and sense of caring for those who are misfortunate in this world has been a real eye opener for me.

What would we have had to discuss if there were no differences between us? What could we add to the growth of each other if we both thought the same?

Our differences define us. Our differences can be our friend.

Consider — we will never socialise our world’s people into a close-knit family if we wait until we all think the same or “they out there, think like us”.

We give life to evil when we recognise it. Let’s ignore it and see the good in people. Let’s recognise that overcoming our own more selfish inclinations is the battlefront where any spiritual Armageddon is fought. We need to take up our cross daily.

JONATHAN HANSARD

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