Not for the first time- Radio 4′s ‘thought for the day’ had me groaning. Today’s pandering to the zeitgeist came from some muddled Canon discussing terrorism. His reflection started well enough as he explained how hatred can overcome integrity of belief – until violence becomes your only goal. I agree.
He then suggested our nation must not react in fear, responding to terrorism by removing trust and civil liberties. Again- spot on dear padre! But then…..and it is always the final thought where the incredulous jump is made- he suggested faith communities must accept pluralism, even promoting it as God’s will. Now hold your horses dear Revd. Heretic!!! Back to school for you. ‘Pluralism’ is terminal to living faith and any wise cleric should know that!
Pluralism is that crazy notion that suggests all faiths are equally valid paths to the divine. Such belief suggests no one faith has prior claim over another- suggesting none contains ultimate truth. And if none does that- why subscribe to any at all? It is unsurprisngly the favoured position of all secularists.
Pluralism is dangerous- for it relegates faith to mere cultural pastime and/or personal opinion. And this is precisely what the Roman Empire preached at the time of Christ. You may worship any and all gods…but never promote one over another. And it was this inclusive fascism which led to the terrible persecution of early Christians (who refused to sacrifice to the pluralist (false) gods). Little suprise the early church rejected pluralism. For if Jesus was born of Virgin and God- then HE alone is the way, the truth and the life and we must ‘baptise all nations in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’. If God came among us this is no man made creed.
So how can a modern clergyman promote on radio the very views that led to the spilling of martyr’s blood? What betrayal of their witness. Shame on you, my brother priest, shame on you! But before I am too insulting- let us examine his claim further. Is he right? Am I dangerously close to terrorism because I uphold the Gospel as ultimate truth?
No- because he is deluded in his moronic conclusion that ‘desire to convert’ necessarily leads to terrorism. I say the Christian can easily desire conversion whilst being an embodiment of peace and respect. How so?
Because the Christian knows they themselves have no right nor ability to convert. We are simply called to live out our faith, showing others the face of Jesus- whilst praying for them. God alone can touch them and lead them into glorious light. So when others do not turn to Christ- or subscribe to other creeds- we do not hurt or chastise them…we certainly do not hate them. To do that would be a betrayal of faith. We simply keep on loving them, respecting them and living alongside them in a non judgmental manner.
Just as we should not weaken democracy in reaction to fundamentalism- so we should avoid attacking Christianity simply because factions within Islam behave in deplorable manner. For lets be honest- it is the diabolical acts of fanatical Muslims which lead others to demand all religions be tarred with the same brush and demoted to the margins of society. Such conclusion is not good enough – for it is to let the torrorist win! And I most certainly do not expect an ordained minister to promote such diluting and defeatist attitude to the nation on Radio 4. Hurrumph!
What the old catechisms call indifferentism.