A Wake-Up Call

June 7, 1994

Moving to Florida in 1976, I lived in Clermont, in Lake County. A couple of weeks ago, Lake County made the national as well as state and local media because of an action by the Lake County Board of Education.

Florida, through the State Office of Education, encourages an understanding of multi-cultural patterns: the ways other peoples live, their ways of governance, the distinctive cultural ways, etc. The Lake County Board Board of Education, by a three to two vote, added a requirement that their teachers must also teach that OUR nation’s culture is superior to all other nations and cultures. Lake County has been experiencing intense political activity in recent years on the part of right-wing Christian fundamentalists, including electing a majority to the County Board of Education. Thus, the 3 to 2 vote.

I was reminded of a parallel in religious studies: In earlier times, most theological schools and seminaries taught “Comparative Religion.” Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and other major religions of the world were compared to Christianity. The virtues and truths of Christianity were emphasized, and attention directed to the inadequacies and short-comings of other religions.

There came a change. Whether originally sparked by the World Parliament of Religions in 1893, or came as an unintended consequence of the encountering of cultures in World Wars I and II, and later the large increase in world travel, I’m not sure. But when I attended St. Lawrence University Theological School (S.L.U.T.S.) in the 1940s, we were taught “World Religions”, not “Comparative Religion.”

I do not have the documentation, just my recollection of a lecture at S.L.U.T.S. indicating that Universalist and Unitarian theological schools were among the first to teach World Religions rather than Comparative Religion.

One could say that the change was just an innocuous difference in wording, but I believe it represented deeper meaning and more generous acceptance. To put it one way: I do not have to put you down in order to demonstrate my virtues. If I have any, they will be self-evident in my character and behavior. Furthermore I’d like to know more about you and the best things about you.

Similarly with organized religions. They all have virtues; they all have flaws. The student of religion who honestly seeks wisdom from many sources will appreciate the ways other faiths seek truth and understanding. There is no one religion, which if everyone in the world believed, would solve all the problems of bigotry, cruelty, deceit, greed. All these failings are found within each particular religious structure. What Viola said to the Duke applies: (TWELFTH NIGHT, Act II, Sc. 1)

“We men say more, swear more;
but indeed
Our shows are more than will;
for still we prove much
in our vows,
but little in our love.”

Much more to be desired is appreciation: the inner religious life of the Hindu Brahman, the indivisible nature of theology and morality in Judaism, the mind-challenge of Zen Buddhism, the prayer life of the Moslem, the superb aesthetic pageantry of music, color, art, [and] procession of Christianity, particularly found in Anglican and Roman Catholicism. (And these observations are just a short list). The search for truth, beauty, goodness is not the possession of any one religion.

I believe the same to be true of other nations, cultures, political systems. If we are superior it will be self-evident, no windy boasting is needed. Rather, let us try to understand and appreciate other nations and cultures. Let’s look at ourselves, too. Do you remember the old father/son chestnut:

Father: “Get up, son. When Lincoln was your age, do you know what he was doing?”

Son: “No, Dad, I don’t. But I know what he was doing when he was your age.”

I began with Lake County, so let me conclude with that. The narrow (3/2) decision to indoctrinate our “superiority” in multi-cultural studies has, I have been informed, caused a “wake-up” call to many who did not know or care about the political organizing and zeal of right-wing fundamentalists to achieve political controls in order to impose their particular version of Christianity. A great many more people should remember our Constitutional separation of Church and State. How effective this wake-up call will be remains to be seen.

SUPPLEMENTAL TO A WAKEUP CALL
October 7, 1994

Once in a while there occurs events that are heartening rather than discouraging. The news story below illustrates that. No further comment at this time – just be alert to the alarm bells!!

AP article – 10/6/94 – Losses spell end of ‘superior’ school policy

CJW underlined: “voters ... cast ballots against three Christian Coalition candidates for board vacancies by 2 to 1 margins.”