A conversation about God ... Part I: Arrogance

So it started something like this, standing around in a church kitchen, this women named Sharon says to me, "I believe there is a little bit of the divine in all of us. We need to recognize that in each other. Humans are all basically good. We are all on a journey to God but just taking different paths." "I wish I could believe that." I said. "I really do. Doesn't it sound like bliss? Eternal salvation for everyone because we are all good. Our religions just don't matter because we're all going to the same place." I sighed heavy. "I just wish I could believe it. I wish I could. It honestly sounds wonderful. I really don't want anyone to go to hell, spending eternity apart from God. That sounds just so horrible. But I just can't seem to accept what you're saying." Astonished, Sharon sputtered, "Why not? It's beautiful. Why don't you believe?" "Well, first off, I don't like the arrogance of that position — " "What!?" she interrupted, in an incredulous, almost annoyed voice. "That's not arrogant. Arrogant is when you're telling everybody else they're going to hell. That's arrogant. That's saying everybody else but you is wrong. I'm saying they are all right. They all have part of the truth, part of the divine in them. They are allstrivingg for the same thing and journeying in the same direction, like roads starting in different locations, heading up a mountain toward the same pinnacle." She was convinced of her position. I didn't know how to respond. Was there anything I could really say to think about it objectively? Despite her belief to the contrary, her position was no less arrogant than the exclusivist religions she attacked. "I see your point" I said, "and feel how passionately you believe that. What you are saying is, if I tell someone else their religion is wrong and mine is right than I am arrogant." "Exactly" she said. "Your position has a theologicalphilosophicall name for it: Universalism, as in everyone is universally destined for the same place. Now many religions don't believe that. Certainly Christianity is one. Clearly the militant Islam movement would be another Jehovah's Witnesses only believe there will be 144,000 people in heaven. Mormon's aren't universalists either. "Now that's just a small segment of religion but they believe differently than you. It seems arrogant, even a little patronizing to say to them, 'You are really close to being right. It's good you believe in God, but if you only understood that we all have the truth and part of the divine, we all believe in the same God, and we are all on the same journey to him.' It's like we're telling them that they aren't believing their own religion correctly. "It's one thing to say 'You're flat out wrong.' but it seems even more arrogant when one who is not an adherent to their religion, says, 'You don't understand your own religion correctly.' Either way, your position is telling them they're wrong." "No, no." she said. "I'm saying they are all right —" Now I interrupted, "Yes, but, even though you are saying they are all right, they don't agree with you that all religions are on the same path and resent that you are saying that about their religion. From their perspective, you saying to them that all religions are right, is telling them that their religion is wrong because they don't believe that." That was a tough one for her. She had to think for a long time to come to grips with the fact: what she thought was open minded and inclusive, was not received that way by the people she was being open minded and inclusive toward. In fact, they felt maligned. And that she was being the very thing she despised. We cut carrots for the dinner in silence for awhile. I hate when that happens. There are others in the kitchen who began listening to the conversation. We started with a jovial group that had now turned quietly, uncomfortably, reflective. It's a little ominous feeling. It is very hard for someone who believes so vehemently about their position to come to realize the glaring weaknesses of it. A conversation with God ... Part II is coming shortly.