Hi Sun. Re: So it is not so much that Christianity is being rejected as it is some Christians who are being rejected.
That's a nice distinction.
I wonder how many of us would have any problem with the tenets of Christianity as expressed in a New Testament sense. When we examine such Christian standards as those embodied in the Golden Rule, the respect for the right of every person to choose to have faith and "find salvation" or to forego it, and the emphasis on providing for the most needy among us, most of us would agree that it's a good, community building, society strengthening list of mores that we should all, Christian and non-Christian, try to follow.
I can remember past times when it seemed that most Christians felt that their faith was a private, personal matter and that they should demonstrate their faith by living "like Christians." The Christians I knew as a young man would have felt shamed for using their religion for personal gain.
Now wearing the Christian faith overtly seems to be generally accepted to further individual economic, political or personal ambitions. Note the "fish" symbol on telephone ads and vehicles, the use of code words in the election campaign by both candidates, (very effectively by Bush,) and the Christian right's use of the Christian Churches as a launching pad for political ends.
And when we see high profile "Christian" ministers ranting on about souls committed to Hell for pro-choice beliefs or alternative lifestyle practices, preaching that it's a Christian's duty to "stop sinful practices," among others, blessing the use of military force to "change the Middle East," and when we see their views echoed by "devout" persons in power like Bush, Ashcroft and Rove, then religion becomes a potentially divisive force in our society.
These new, activist, "Christians" have aligned themselves against those of us who may want to be left alone to follow other mores and especially against those of us who disagree with the use of force to help others achieve their view of "God's choices for others." Maybe it's time that we put words to this emerging development so that we can see it more clearly?
By the way, I note that you said you'd never found an American Buddhist "who was not a gentle kind soul." You might want to review some of Kodiak Bull's post 9/11 posts on how we should deal with the people of the Middle East, the innocents as well as the small percentage of the guilty. g.
Finally, your characterization of Michael Corleone is strikingly insightful. I'd never thought that through until I read your message. I've met many people people who worship the rules and they often ignore the logic which underlies those same rules. Not me; I've never seen a rule I didn't question. It's both a gift and a curse. g. Ed |
