As a Christian I am uneasy about claims to
exclusivity regarding the validity of my religion and the invalidity of all
others. Perhaps some here will mention
that even the devil can quote scripture, but I will begin the discussion of my
point of view in this matter quoting from John: And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring
glory to the Father (14:13 NIV). To
me this scripture clearly should not be taken on a stupid level—that level
being that simply the mention of “Christ” in a prayer guarantees the results I
want even if I ask it in the spirit of the antichrist. Clearly Jesus had to mean by “ask in my name”
that one ask in the spirit of Christ.
Even a more restrictive passage must mean fundamentally the same: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6 NIV). This cannot mean “no one comes to the Father
except through me” no matter how they perceive Christ—knowing the vulnerabilities
and vagaries of the human mind, Christ even can be seen as a racist. Our perception of reality must be like
Jesus’s perception—based essentially on this: Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind.’ This is the
first and greatest commandment. And the
second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these
two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV). This week in Saint Petersburg a
collection of many faiths gathered at a Christian church to discuss how to
apply the disciplines of love practically in Pinellas County. The group had done their homework. Facts and figures had been complied regarding
graduation rates and reading levels, for example. Members of the group were actively taking
ownership of problems in the community.
From my point of view, they were doing God’s work in the spirit of
Christ whether Christian, Muslim, or Buddhist.
Certainly they were following in the spirit of the way if compared to a
meeting of a hate group; no matter what banner it unfurled—even a Christian
one.
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