Thursday, March 10, 2005
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR FEBRUARY 16, 2005
THE TRUE FAITH
Why is religion such an area for hatred, political conflict and war? Mahatma Gandhi dealt with this problem on a daily basis. Gandhi saw no distinction between the City of God and the City of Man. He insisted that there be a political consciousness in religion and a religious consciousness in politics. In short he saw them as the same. If spiritual people reject ahimsa or non-harm they will approve of every form of violence to attain their objectives. Saints, he thought, could be more murderous than sinners. In short, he saw the trap of fundamentalisms.
Religion must rid itself of dogmatic certainty. Shedding dogma intellectually is required in order to practice non-harm in the physical world . In a parallel to the Hippocratic oath of doctors, the religionists must agree to do no harm and thus open their minds to the validity of other faiths. The proof of faith is not doctrinal purity. That should be obvious from centuries of inquisition conducted according to Dostoevsky by people who had no faith at all. Instead of the impossible task of trying to define God, the person of faith defines a life-style of total dedication, sacrifice and love. This is the "proof of faith."
This is how Satyagraha or truth force can become the motor force of religion and politics. Satyagraha is direct action without violence. It is the true act of faith. It includes refusal to cooperate with laws that are unjust joined with the willingness to suffer the consequences. Yes, we are speaking of non-violent law-breaking. At a meeting in South Africa in 1906, 3000 Indian citizens met at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg. On the agenda was an item resolving that the members of the Indian community would go to jail rather than to submit to an ordinance requiring them to carry a residency permit under pain of deportation or prison. At first it was to be decided by majority vote. But then Gandhi suggested that each person should decide for themselves whether to take a vow before God to break this law. A vow was different from a majority vote. By taking a vow each person has an obligation to keep it. "A person who lightly pledges their word and then breaks it is a person of straw," said Gandhi. All present rose and took the vow. In the case of the Indian community in Transvaal it meant deliberate violation of a government ordinance and a commitment to fill the local jails.
Regardless of our religious or non-religious background, as we rid ourselves of dogmatic certainty, as we accept non-harm and a dedication to truth force, we will become spiritually capable of the non-cooperation which is required to end corrupt government.
Why is religion such an area for hatred, political conflict and war? Mahatma Gandhi dealt with this problem on a daily basis. Gandhi saw no distinction between the City of God and the City of Man. He insisted that there be a political consciousness in religion and a religious consciousness in politics. In short he saw them as the same. If spiritual people reject ahimsa or non-harm they will approve of every form of violence to attain their objectives. Saints, he thought, could be more murderous than sinners. In short, he saw the trap of fundamentalisms.
Religion must rid itself of dogmatic certainty. Shedding dogma intellectually is required in order to practice non-harm in the physical world . In a parallel to the Hippocratic oath of doctors, the religionists must agree to do no harm and thus open their minds to the validity of other faiths. The proof of faith is not doctrinal purity. That should be obvious from centuries of inquisition conducted according to Dostoevsky by people who had no faith at all. Instead of the impossible task of trying to define God, the person of faith defines a life-style of total dedication, sacrifice and love. This is the "proof of faith."
This is how Satyagraha or truth force can become the motor force of religion and politics. Satyagraha is direct action without violence. It is the true act of faith. It includes refusal to cooperate with laws that are unjust joined with the willingness to suffer the consequences. Yes, we are speaking of non-violent law-breaking. At a meeting in South Africa in 1906, 3000 Indian citizens met at the Empire Theatre in Johannesburg. On the agenda was an item resolving that the members of the Indian community would go to jail rather than to submit to an ordinance requiring them to carry a residency permit under pain of deportation or prison. At first it was to be decided by majority vote. But then Gandhi suggested that each person should decide for themselves whether to take a vow before God to break this law. A vow was different from a majority vote. By taking a vow each person has an obligation to keep it. "A person who lightly pledges their word and then breaks it is a person of straw," said Gandhi. All present rose and took the vow. In the case of the Indian community in Transvaal it meant deliberate violation of a government ordinance and a commitment to fill the local jails.
Regardless of our religious or non-religious background, as we rid ourselves of dogmatic certainty, as we accept non-harm and a dedication to truth force, we will become spiritually capable of the non-cooperation which is required to end corrupt government.
