A few years back, having put on a service to mark Holocaust Memorial Day, one of those present made a statement about the end of genocide, focussing strongly on the expression, "Never again!" Another person nearby joined the conversation and pointed to Rwanda and Cambodia as examples of genocide and asked how well 'never again' had done in the light of them. The response to this was, "Oh, we meant in Europe when we said it." Undaunted, and not to be shaken off, back came the question, "Isn't Bosnia in Europe?"
The reply stunned everyone standing within earshot of the speaker as they returned, quick as a flash, with, "But we meant Western Europe!"
The problem is that whilst we might be shaking our heads in despair at that story, many of us are still living in the same reality as our 'never again' person. We all have areas of duplicity that are fostered by self-serving desires and mindsets. Some are simple to see and others are cloaked in upbringing, tradition, inherited attitudes and cultural aberrations. Some are so clouded by prejudice and politics that we fail to see them and the fact that we cannot see through them either.
A couple of examples to fuel the conversations:
FAIR TRADE
The person who claims to be Christian and yet rails at the fact that the Christian shop stocks Fairly traded goods.
I met one of the people who fit this category in a Christian shop and they were asking why they should be paying more to help people in another country. "After all," they railed, "Doesn't charity begin at home? Why are we being asked to give money to them?"
Now I can't express the vitriol and venom behind the word 'them' in type alone but as we talked I found an inherited negativism for the 'them' from foreign lands. These turned out to be the same 'them' that, "Came over here and took our jobs, our houses and all those benefits!" Here before me was a really lovely person - a 'good' Christian - who was, surface scratched, manifesting something quite unchristian and rather distasteful.
THE 'GOOD' MEMBER
I found myself approached by a member of another church with a view to them gaining my support regarding what they considered to be abuse from their church leader.
The issue, as reported, was that one of the members of the church had been engaging in wrong (biblically, morally and possibly legally) activities. This had been reported to the leader with the response that it was none of their (the member's) business. This position was solidified by the fact that the other person was billed (by the leader) as a good giver and a longstanding member who had done much in the past. The final shard that pierced the heart of the complainant was the words, "You make sure you have your own house in order and stop looking at other people's lives!"
My response was that on the surface what I was hearing sounded very wrong, but I was hearing just one side of the argument and, as Proverbs 18 tells us, one side always sounds right until the other side is heard. I asked if there might be other perceptions, viewpoints and facts that could have been missed or misrepresented - to which the answer was a responding 'No'.
Two examples (I have hundreds) - both of which show how easy it is to be human and have stuff that lies out of the usual public view. We all have things that are in conflict with the laws of God and yet not only consider ourselves to be 'good Christians' but continue in that belief whilst nurturing and maintaining the wrong.
The key to being a 'good' anything (theist or non-theist) is for us, when we identify such a wrong attitude to address it. We must address it in ourselves and in others with acceptance, understanding and the same measure of love displayed at all times. We need to be open and honest with ourselves and others - this doesn't mean that we need to tell everyone, but we need to address the issues and seek resolution and reconciliation with God and between others. We all have to potential to fall, this is human, but the potential to cover our wrong attitudes and acts, this is sin!
We are called to be whole people - for this is what integrity is.
We are called to be honest people - for this is what Christ demands.
We are called to be people who bring unity through forgiveness, reconciling acts and love - for this is who Jesus the Christ, is.
Now, how hard can this be?
Where's that mirror?
2 comments:
I am surprised by your Good Member experience. I quite often have patients who come to me quite stressed and distressed about what they say has been happening at work. Sometimes I have had to do reports for employers if someone has prolonged sickness absence, and I have learned to warn people early on that, whilst I take what they say at face value, I could not swear to this in any sort of legal way, as I only have their perspective. Despite being an a very difficult emotional state, almost all of them understand and accept that position.
The fact that the person who spoke to you seemingly could not would make me suspicious of their complaint.
Indeed - I find the majority of people, when asked, are able to accept that their viewpoint might not be the only one but this person was adamant that they were correct. So much so that I asked around (without raising any concerns) and found that others also had pieces of the same jigsaw and that there was a consensus view regarding the issue.
I then contacted the person who had come to me and encouraged them to take the issue back to their church and seek some satisfaction. Not sure they did though.
Thanks for your insights and views, always most welcome,
V
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