At happy
hour two months ago, you said something to me that I have thought about in the passing
weeks and I have been burdened with it since. Not that what was said I found
distasteful, or disagreeable, but that I felt excluded from something far
deeper; a dialogue of trust and friendship.
Generally
words like these have hidden in them a lifetime of experiences. Experiences
warranting legitimacy. Who is anyone to tell us that what we believe, and how
we came to believe it—short of being brainwashed, or impressed with another's knowledge—is
wrong? We are, after all, the sum of our experiences, moments weaving a canvas
patched with assumptions and conceptual gaps informed by the majority of the fibers.
So when I hear you say “creepy-Christian-shit,” in reference to my beliefs, I can
only assume that you were brought to that conclusion by legitimate means and
that the defense of that truth is warranted.
There are common assumptions
made about one’s beliefs by the Other, that we succumb to naturally, if not due
to some form of mechanic employed by social evolution, to preserve our identity
in the presence of something we don’t understand. I do this all the time,
usually in the presence of the marginalized and the poor, occasionally in the
presence of those of a different faith. If introspection is worth anything, and
it likely is despite what postmodernism has suggested, I would say that I am afraid
of losing my identity in the presence of another, more convincing and powerful
one. Warding off intellectual and spiritual fascism with definitive statements.
Without overstepping my bounds and assuming
your prejudices, I would say that this is at least, in part, something that
influences your beliefs about my beliefs.
Likewise, in a current climate
of relativism, not to be confused with pluralism, I will be bold enough to say
that not all beliefs are as valuable as the rest. Prejudices, for instance, are
not worth as much as truths, because they are innately defamatory and aim to
devalue something else, person, institution, presupposition, etc. A belief that
declares a value statement needs to be assessed and vetted to determine whether
or not it is a prejudice. Being that you and I are cut from the same cloth, or
that I aspire to be what you are, I hope you can appreciate the social obligation
we have in a pluralist society, to establish a mutual dialogue that encourages
a common understanding and a collaborative spirit.
Transparent Faith For a Transparent World |
I admit that in your life you have
crossed paths with undesirable permutations of Christianity. History
subjectively describes movements and campaigns that highlight the forceful and
dominant expressions, which I have struggled to reconcile. Those in a position
of power leveraged their social and political influence to perpetrate acts out
of self-interest that tainted the reputation and following of forgotten
followers, their voices drowned out by the influence they did not have over the
events they did not initiate. (The same is ever true today, with the rise of
the “Moral Majority” and other caricatures promoted by fringe groups and leveraging
fear of the the Other.) We are all familiar with the corruption of institutions
and the choice we make to generalize that quality across the diverse spectrum
of historical expressions. I have chosen to not do that in regards to secular
humanism, to see the good that it has brought to society by questioning beliefs
long held, and often proven untrue upon further reflection. I would not wish to
make a straw man like administers of my faith have made, often to draw simple
comparisons and conclusions for those without formal education, to create a
digestible, conceptual framework; much to my chagrin as I know full well, the multiplicity
of expressions. As I have had patience for those accepting simple explanations
I ask you do so as well, understanding, with positive intentions, the intended
effect.
But there is a personal dimension
to all this, for without it I would just be blustering elevated quips. Rather than see you as the Other, I wish to
traverse that gap as a confederate, a brother to you in attempt to achieve a
common goal of understanding. Regardless of my points of view, informed by my
personal theology, I would like to express my love for you as a person, with identity
and worth. I see you as unique and capable of great things, as we
all are the same at the core, acting out of self-interest on the small and
large scale. I wish to express my intentions that I am committed to your
well-being because of what I believe, and that I am committed to doing good for
you, your family, your friends, regardless of their positions and beliefs. I
believe that my truth is definitive to this reality, but that does not stop me
from appreciating what you offer to the world, what I believe my maker has given you to
advocate for those that cannot advocate for themselves, to seek equal
opportunity and rights, for dignity in an undignified world. While it is true
that I have given myself over to what others would declare an insane
proposition, the belief in an entity unverifiable by empiricism and its tools,
of a poor, homeless Jew embroiled in the socio-political conflicts of 1st
century Palestine, I have paradoxically employed tools of reason to do so, just
as you have defended the antithesis. Without the guarantee that I would dully
receive your blessing and acknowledgement of my beliefs, I would like to
acknowledge yours are valid and legitimate and it is my deepest hope that we
can foster a relationship of mutual empathy.
My Best to You for the Betterment of All,
Stuart J. Warren
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