Fundamentlist.......Ba Hum Bug!

Actually I think they have their place in this world. It's a matter of knowing how to work with it. It would be a part of us.

Sometimes, I think, a life experience just knocks the stuffing out of them. They run up against a crisis and realize that their worldview is insufficient to address it. Suddenly they don't have the answers they thought they had. I know one fellow who was loudly certain of all his beliefs--until he and his wife took on a foster child in what turned out to be a disaster. His beliefs are still very conservative, but he is much gentler in his discourse than before.

A variation of that is when the presence of a specific person contradicts the literalist's worldview. This is what caused me to finally break with literalism. I assumed for years that homosexuality was a sin. Then Frank--an elder of our church, one of the gentlest people you could imagine--came out to us. For me, a faith that tossed out such a loving soul on grounds like this didn't make sense. It forced me to revisit the scriptures to figure it all out--and that, in turn, opened me to all kinds of things.

I think it's possible. This may be where the action of the Divine comes into play. If we model what we know of the Divine--gentleness, goodness, love--they're bound to notice. And if they notice, who knows? I'm constantly amazed at the way we all rub off on one another without even trying. We never know what kind of influence we ultimately have on someone, which is why I think it's important for us to keep the door open for these folks.

I try to get inside their head and see things from their perspective. So mostly they're clarifying questions. I've argued all kinds of theology with a close friend of mine--a literalist's literalist. At this point we're not getting terribly far with that, so when he needs help or a listening ear, I try to think about what makes sense for him within his worldview--because he's not coming out of that worldview anytime soon.

If they're really aggressive, I don't even try; I just walk away as soon as I can. I have a friend who argues with people like this, but I don't see the point. The chances of actually reaching a level of authentic dialogue when they're in this mode are slim. I'd rather use my energy in safer situations with people are more open to talk.

backwrite wrote:
If I said no, would that make me one?

Seriously, I would say no, since we are each taught to seek the truth for ourselves. Each of us may come to some different conclusions, but that simply makes for interesting conversation and we each head out for more research!

Let me try to give an example, silly as it may sound. As you may know, Baha'is do not drink alcohol. I have met some Baha'is that won't even use a mouthwash with alcohol. But I haven't met anyone who would 'cluck their tongue' at another Baha'i who has come to a different conclusion. Perhaps kaath or arthra have a different take on 'Baha'i fundamentalism' as a concept. But that is an oxymoron to my ears.

Any difference of opinion is largely considered an in-house debate, and not something to divide over, so I would say that the concept is foreign to the Baha'i Faith. RevKathyV left the Baha'i Faith after 28 years (?). Perhaps she has some different perspectives on this. Good question though! --Steve--

So, it seems good dialoguing is about learning and not preaching. A few days ago I put a post on Twitter, which said something like, good dialogue doesn't step on toes, it softens callouses, it doesn't stab, it closes wounds.

Maybe our egos can learn to allow us to remain in the learning mode. One thing I don't remember to do enough is to rephrase what someone said to me. When we rephrase it lets the other person know they are heard and it also allows them to hear themselves.

John, can you tell us about monasticism and your trip to South Africa. Why did you do that?

LOVE that axiom about toes and wounds. I must find a way to quote you on that. ; ) The only thing I'd add to your "about learning and not preaching" is that it's about learning and sharing as well. We share what we have learned along the way and learn what the other has experienced.

This is why I think people of faith and spirituality are uniquely suited to pursue healthy dialogue: because so many of their faith traditions are about self-denial and the extinction of ego. The more progress we make down that road, the easier it is to let go of our vested interests and listen with an open heart. After all, without an domineering ego, who is it that's vested in the vested interests? ; )

Excellent point. It's a terrific technique.

I'd been studying contemplative prayer and mysticism for about 10 years before I joined the Episcopal Church--so associating with one of the church's monasteries was a natural step. As associates of Holy Cross Monastery, we live according to the Rule of Life that the monks follow, but adapt it to our everyday lives in the outside world. So, for instance, they pray the Psalms five times a day; I can't do that with my schedule, but I can pray them once a day. They hold all property in common; I can't do that, but I can commit to living simply and generously. Their life together springs from three fundamental principles: stability (of spiritual practice), obedience (to the Divine Spirit), and conversion of life (a continual realignment of ourselves toward the Divine).

It's hard to express how profoundly this has changed my life path. My principal business--I'm a copywriter for marketing and advertising--is slowly taking a back seat to my spiritual writing. I have taken steps to slow down my life to include more prayer and more balance. In all this, I cannot escape the sense of being nudged into it by the Divine. Going with God can be a rather intimidating adventure, because you have no idea what God will throw at you!

Holy Cross also maintains a monastery in Grahamstown, South Africa. My wife and I were casting about for an opportunity to do some short-term mission work in a remote land (there's that travel thing again); the monastery needed its library recataloged, and Prudence is a librarian. Off we went. The experience was phenomenal; I found South Africa to be profoundly real--with none of the glitter and image consciousness and niceties that place a veneer of "civility" over the U.S. I suppose when so many of your people live in so much poverty, there's no time for the niceties. I don't think I realized just how completely a trip like this could transform my perspective.

I really admire what you have done. I have been slowing my own life down in a similar (but surely less dramatic) way. My own Five Year Plan is in play now, and your testimony is a great inspiration. Thanks for sharing it.
--Steve--

Last night I came to the realization that if I understand my life I am on the wrong path. Rumi said, "Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”

John, can you tell us some of your experiences in South Africa, maybe some of your experiences with the people there? How did this journey shape your life?