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David Hayward 1 year, 2 months ago.
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I emailed this to David recently and he suggested putting it on TLS.
His post about respecting others where they are at resounded with me.
Yesterday in my cultural studies lecture our French lecturer (complete with Inspector Clouseau accent! ha) completely dissed all those with faith, with particular focus on Christians. The door banging during the lecture was very noticeable and was commented on, as students left the lecture theatre. It was quite surprising, as I assumed most of the class would have been secular atheists, who I thought were dominant culturally here.
At the time I thought it a bit of a hoot, I like this lecturer and it reminded me of how a long time ago I once would have felt confronted. I don’t have a bone in that fight anymore, or so I don’t think.
But it was also noticeable how Christians were such an easy target for the lecturer. Such negative comments directed towards the Muslim community would have got her firebombed, I later thought. Ok, that’s hyperbole, but there would have been an utter stink. There’s a reason why the middle-eastern lectures on campus aren’t recorded.
So to me David’s comments on respecting others are timely, whether or not you have faith.
Anyhow, I thought the respect should include atheist lecturers who draw links between terrorists and religious fundamentalists and who ‘wants to get rid of the bloody lot of them’ (hopefully not using the same means) . There was also dubious historical claims made about the first modern terrorists being Christians in the 18th century, and Timothy McVeigh was claimed as a Christian.
Oy vey hey?
The point about the Islam not coming under the same criticism is sadly typical of today’s society. Muslim’s are noticeable for not respecting other faiths, which is kind of ironic.
Also that point about the middle-eastern lectures not being recorded would really annoy me. Not because I’d want to hear them, but because there’s the suggestion that there is favouritism happening, which is also dis-respectful. I don’t think Christians should be so favourited, and I don’t think Muslims should be so favourited, either.
Wade.
Thanks for posting this Helene. Great story.
As someone who grew up in Saudi Arabia, the Holy center of Islam, I can vouch for the lack of tolerance of any other religious beliefs. None were tolerated in Kingdom. No one ever wore, posted, or had on display anything that was contrary to Sharia law. I find it interesting how churches, synagogs, temples or any other religious building does not exist in the Kingdom. It is forbidden. Only mosques are allowed. Yet, in America there are mosques popping up everywhere. When I was a child, if we found ruins out in the desert we never told the authorities. Every time someone told the Ministry of Antiquities they would take bulldozers to them because they did not believe anything predated Islam. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am not against Islam. This was simply my experience growing up near the holy city of Mecca.
It’s curious me to me how easily the Christians were offended and left. Going through the Spiritual Director’s Institute here in California, where they accept all faiths was eye opening because it was the Christians who were very vocal about how it was a terrible thing to participate in a program that allowed other religious beliefs. The people with other beliefs, meh, they seemed to roll with it.
mmm, thanks for the contributions, it was interesting at the time to just feel like an observer and watch it happening, and then to critially analyse afterwards just what happened. I think David’s comments on respecting others where they are at resounded with me very strongly. And indirectly, it spoke to me of balance. Balance of views and of mind. That’s the journey for me – getting balance.
PS starfielder – how exciting, finding antiquities when you were a kid !
oh, and this was the post that resounded with me (in case it wasn’t clear)
love your past and love your future
daily bread August 1, 2013 8 Comments »Love your previous selves. Love your later selves still to come。
The Lasting Supper isn’t a site that promotes one way of believing or any certain theological or philosophical standpoint or morality. Rather, it represents the vast diversity of beliefs and non-beliefs, a wide spectrum of positions, viewpoints, practices and philosophies.
So when we see somebody on TLS that believes something we used to but don’t anymore, we can say, “That used to be me. I embrace it because it is a part of my journey without which I wouldn’t be where I am today. I love that part of myself.”
Or when we see somebody on TLS that is in a place far different from us, that perhaps is further down the line than we can even imagine, we can say, “Who knows? Maybe that will be me in a few years. In any case, that person has been on a journey to get to where she is and I respect that. I love whatever I may become, nevertheless.”
Love your past. Love your future. Then you will have a heart big enough to love everyone else.
This is what makes a healthy community.
I think I pissed off someone so much on my nakedpastor blog that he left. I mean he was a fundamentalist troll. But he’s been there a long time. I called him an Islamophobe because I’d finally had enough.
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