I came across a couple
of quotes that struck me recently. The
first is a Chinese proverb that speaks to being broad-minded. Like most people, I consider myself to be
broad-minded. But I am aware that I have
blind spots and too often listen to opposing views with an attitude more toward
argument that an opportunity to learn.
Anyway, here is the
proverb:
“The broad-minded see the truth in
different religions; the narrow-minded see only the differences."[1]
I grew up
Catholic. After Patty and I married, I
began to worship in the Lutheran Church.
Yes, there are differences that a theologian might be able to explain so
we could understand, but the prayers, the scripture and the basic worship
scheme are very similar. I choose to
focus on the truth in both religions:
That Jesus is the Son of God and my Redeemer. I’ll leave the rest to the philosophers and
theologians.
The real trick, of
course, is to wrap my mind around the fact (in my mind) that folks who are not
Christians also have truths that will lead them to Heaven. How is that possible? I don’t know.
But my God is a loving God, who would not create humans for the sole
purpose of condemning them just because they were not born into a Christian
family.
Anyway, even if I’m
wrong, what harm is there in showing respect and kindness? Being angry, hurtful or rude will not
“convert” them. Jesus Himself never
forced a person to accept His teachings.
He persistently invited them, leaving the choice to accept or reject in
the listener.
Heavy stuff today….
I’ll close with a quote
from another, non-Christian religious leader:
People
take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they’re not on your road doesn’t
mean they’ve gotten lost.[2] Dalai Lama
And I need to constantly check to be as
certain as my incomplete mind can be that I am on the right road.
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