Which paths do we choose? Supremacy or humility? Domination or service? Fear or love? Extremist violence in the world is often justified by religious messages of supremacy, domination and fear. Think how much political and economic havoc happen in the pursuit of supremacy and domination clothed in words of fear. What if our religious, political and business endeavors turned from the destructive paths of supremacy, domination and fear, and chose instead to embrace humility, service and love?
I've never liked what some call "muscular Christianity." Muscular Christianity asserts aggressively that our God is the greatest. Which means your god is not; believe what we say, or go to hell. What an anemic and ugly misrepresentation of the religion of Jesus.
Central to the message of Christianity is the claim that the infinite God humbly enters fully into humanity through a peasant child, Jesus. Jesus chose the path of humble service, teaching his disciples to love their neighbor as themselves. His love generously crossed boundaries of religion, race and state. Jesus offered the same gifts of healing, feeding and dignity to all people, not just those of his tribe. When the powers of domination and supremacy challenged him with their fearful threats of death, he did not overcome them with power. He surrendered his life in perfect love. His perfect love casts out fear and brings life out of death. We see that as a universal victory. The early church reasoned that just as Adam's failure meant death for all humanity, Christ's victory means life for all humanity. (1 Corinthians 15:22, Romans 5:18) That's our message. Humility, service, and love overcomes supremacy, domination and fear. For everyone.
Recently I heard a different message from a radio preacher on a local station. He was railing against Islam, smearing a whole religion for the acts of radical extremists. He condemned all Muslims, insulting Allah and the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The preacher was Christian, evangelical and white. I imaged how insulted he would be if the next show on that station condemned all Christians because of the recent shootings in Christchurch and in U.S. synagogues, done by radicalized Christians. I imagined how outraged he would be if the radio condemned all conservatives because 98 percent of the domestic extremist-related murders in 2018 were committed by right-wing extremists. And what if the next show disparaged all white people because three-fourths of those U.S. terrorist murders were by white supremacists. Mutual condemnations from the voices of supremacy, domination and fear create an ugly vicious cycle.
The antidote is humility, servanthood and love. These are values in all of the enduring religions. Can we be humble enough to listen respectfully to the other religion, the other political opinion, the other economic theory? Can we ground our decisions and actions in a commitment to being servants, particularly to the vulnerable and weak, who drew Jesus' particular attention and compassion? Can we make love our determining moral virtue?
I know business people who orient their work as servant leaders. They look beyond competition and the bottom line. They seek to do what it right for their customers and for their employees. Some encouraging research shows that companies embracing a servant-leader ethos are more successful.
Where are the politicians who are loving, humble servants? I know a few. I recognize a few in national politics. But right now, the political debate seems to be framed by the voices of supremacy, domination and fear. Little good can come from that.
Those of us in the faith community can model an alternative way. But we will have to be humble enough to recognize holiness in the lives of those of a different faith than ours. We will have to be willing to serve the good of all, not just the growth of our own faith. We will have to love as generously as Jesus and Rumi and Gandhi and the Dalai Lama.
Here's an evaluation tool. Imagine three lines numbered 1 to 10 like a ruler. Pair supremacy/humanity, domination/servanthood and fear/love along the three lines, 1-10. Numerically score ideas from religion, politics and economics along each line. If any person or idea scores a total of 9 or less, turn away. Turn toward those that score 21 or more. Supremacy, domination and fear is the path to abuse and harm. Humility, service and love is the path to goodness and peace.
Choose your path.
Commentary on 05/07/2019