Why We Fight

~ by Mark F. Carr whose love of earth and its physical beauty is surpassed only by an unquenchable desire for intellectual and emotional exploration of ideas. He loves his job at Loma Linda University, School of Religion's Center for Christian Bioethics.

When Samir introduced me to the Faith House project, I thought of my own journey to understanding. Some years ago, I sat in class listening to my Muslim professor lecture about Islamic theology. I was astounded at what I heard; so many similarities to what I believed myself! How could a sectarian Christian from Alaska have point of common faith with a Persian Muslim who had only recently moved to the United States?! But in addition to the excitement I felt, I was also disturbed.

You see, part of the culture of western Christianity is to fight. We live and breathe conflict from our present day to as far back as you can trace our history….The most famous peace in western civilization was the Pax Romana, the Peace of Rome, which came about only after the universal and brutal destruction of all opposition.

Part of this culture of conflict had taught me to sift everything I heard of theological significance through my apologetic sieve. It was tiring me out! I recall the point at which I decided to simply listen and learn from this man who had once told me with no uncertainty that God had brought me to this school for a purpose and that God was truly involved in my life. He believed it, and I believed it; so I listened and I learned. I learned to appreciate the authenticity of early Islam and how it brought monotheism to the Arabic people. And how closely related it was to both Judaism and Christianity. Later, when I took similar coursework from my Jewish professor, I was equally stunned at how much I had in common with this rabbi’s understanding of God and his presence in the life of his creation.

How is it that I had been taught to believe that my faith was so drastically different from these other faiths of Abraham? And why does our society continue to foster conflict, exclusion, and hatred among us? I’ll share two quick illustrations of the points of commonality I found and then posit one simple reason we continue to fight.

One of the fundamental teachings of Judaism is that God created humankind. Important to this doctrine is the idea that his creation, humans of every sort, can perceive God in his creation--but not simply that humans have the capability to see and perceive of his presence. Included also is the idea that humans can reason well enough to reflect upon notions of morality. Of course human understanding of God’s revelation strikes each of us in personal ways, but communities of faith can come to points of general agreement.

Similar notions of human capability to perceive God and establish notions of morality as a result are present in both Christianity and Islam. In fact, even though there are well developed notions of the moral life in each of the Abrahamic faiths, at least three things are anathema to each of them; idolatry, adultery, and murder. Granted, there are subtly different ways of understanding these three issues, but all agree they ought not to be done.

Now, why would we continue to fight with each other? We fight, in part because so much of our societies depend upon our continued fighting. Take the media for instance and the controversy about the depictions of Muhammad in a Danish newspaper. Stupid as the original action was, it didn’t get much attention when the cartoons were first published. The attention came months later when the media began reporting it. This caused a stir all over the world, riots, killing, hate-filled speeches, and an incredible spirit of revenge. What did the media do during this time? Laugh all the way to the bank!

Why not do something in your little world today to reduce the hatred and violence? Why not find a point of peace and commonality with some “other” person this week and celebrate?

Comments

[Trailady]

It is a beautiful thing you are doing here. May God bless you a thousand times over for being brave enough to step outside the box and try something new! Religion often builds walls instead of unity.

At one point, I was an arrogant Christian who believed my ways were the only ways to God and my people the only saved. How wrong I was! God is doing something amazing in my life, expanding my horizons and putting a genuine love for ALL people in me.

I'm only sorry I'm so far away from where you are. I would love to participate in an experiment such as this. I am building a link to you and will follow your progress.

[Leslie Foster]

I'm very excited about the Faith House idea. I'm a filmmaker recently out of college and planning to move to NY in October. I would like to do what I can to be involved with this family. Is there anything I can do at the moment? (I'm all the way in Thailand right now, but I'd like to do what I can) Anyplace to send offering?

[Sean Evans]

I really enjoyed your article Dr. Carr (Why We Fight), but was left with a few unsettled questions in my mind. The first question is whether there is a tacit assumption in this article that suggests that the great thinkers and religious leaders of Christianity, Judaism and Islam (e.g., Jesus, Heschel, & Mohammed) warrant recognition as part of a collective community of profoundly rich prophetic voices with relevancy within all of the three great monotheistic religions? If that is true (i.e., that these prophets deserve to be recognized as having a legitimate place within each of the traditions of faith), are we ready, as a global community, to begin a dialogue of this monumental proportions? On a more individual level, how do we begin to deconstruct our own “apologetic filters” and be open to the frightening possibility that we are all more alike than we are different?

[Mark Carr]

Hey Sean,
Nice questions....I'll start on the more individual level: I can just tell you that as I began to hear what was truly core to the other's experience of spirituality, religion, and God I discovered that what I had thought about the other, namely, that she/he was against me and against truth and against God simply was not true. The idea that we could agree on some core issues was a delightful discovery....At that point I began to selectively allow myself to let go of this or that particular apologetic seive.
As for the first question about the three great prophetic voices; In fact, Islam recognizes Jesus as one of the most important prophets in scripture. I've heard about Heschel all of my adult/religious life as profoundly important in helping us understand Sabbath. It was only recently that I learned of Muhammad's importance in helping Arabic culture come out of the Jahiliyya or time of religious ignorance (of worship of multiple gods). If nothing else, can we not uplift something good each of these three have done? Of course, for me, I want to assert far more for Jesus and if I can do that with cheer, peace, and a winsome disposition at that same time as I engage the other's as friend and partner, honoring their religious convictions, then all the better for all of us. Now, I may be a naive pollyanish person to imagine such a world could be....if that's the case, so be it!

[Johnny A. Ramirez Jr.]

I have always found it interesting that Muslims believe that Christ lived a sinless life while they freely acknowledge that Muhammad did not.

Thank you Dr. Carr for this great post and Samir for your prophetic ministry!