by Bernie Dehler
9-29-07
I've been looking at a lot of books from the library lately on creation/evolution issues. One book is called "After God: The Future of Religion" by Don Cupitt, a fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge; and author of some twenty books. I quickly reviewed the book, but it didn't strike my interest. However, I did read something in the introduction that I thought was very insightful. It said:
As the politicians liquidated the old colonial empires, labor shortages in Europe began attracting large numbers of migrant workers from the Caribbean, from Africa, and from Asia, making Western countries more and more multiethnic and multifaith, and making us all acutely aware of the way religion is bound up with language and cultural identity. Genuinely monocultural states are now very much the exception. In multicultural states, religion is by no means always a force that makes for civil peace. On the contrary, it is a commonplace observation that around the world most wars are now civil wars, and that religious differences are a significant factor in most conflicts.
That immediately brought to mind the "culture wars" in America. Much of it seems to be "Atheist vs. Theist," such as abortion, removing "in God we trust" from coins, etc. Many Evangelical Christians are claiming that the USA was founded as a Christian nation, and want to re-establish that. Because of our multicultural and multiracial make-up in the USA, this has brought all these conflicts into the USA population. In the old days, wars between religions and races were fought by monocultural states... now we are diverse and trying to figure out "how to get along" in this same house that we find ourselves living in.
Many people in the USA despise these "culture wars." Why can't we all just get along? With this insight, I don't predict any resolution. The final solution is for government to respect all religions and races as valid, and not legally favoring one or advocating one above the others. For example, do those Evangelical Christians who want prayer in school really want all kinds of prayer-- or only prayer that conforms to their religious doctrine? Do those who want to teach the Bible in public school really want to teach about all the Holy Books of all religions, or just their religion?
Ultimately, I think our government needs to treat all religions with equal privilege, in the interest of democracy. Is it OK to have a manger with the baby Jesus in it at the public square during Christmas? If so, we had better be open to what the Muslim's also would like to have during Ramadan, and give them the same access. We often chastise the Iraqi's for not being able to get along and fault them for their factions, but in many ways we have the same problems in the USA.
Ultimately, equal access should go well for anyone who thinks they have the superior religion. In that case, there's no reason to fear the influence of other religions. If our religion is true, it will win in the arena of truth and all truth seekers will find it. There is nothing to fear in teaching about other religions; and there is even ground to gain in mixing with those of different faith (building relationships) and learning new things.
My advice: reach out to those of different races and religions and get to know then; seek to learn something new. In this way, we all become a part of each other's lives. That is where and how you reach other people anyway, not through force with governmental rules and regulations. We need rules, but let's not put all our eggs in that one basket.
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