Floral tributes at the Botanical Garden in Christchurch on Monday [Marty Melville/AFP
Each time humans encounter difference, it is an opportunity to learn about ourselves and others. Whenever we encounter someone who is different from us, a process of reevaluation begins to take place. At times, people who are different make us feel uncomfortable. This is oftentimes simply because they look, sound different, eat, and behave differently from “us.” At other times, such discomfort arises because there are many lies that are often told about others. These lies gradually sink into our imagination and we start believing them. The man who chose to hurt and wound others in Christchurch, New Zealand, succumbed to such lies. The only way to see through those lies is to authentically get to know those different from us.
“Learning about other people and cultures is intended to make the world safe for human differences,” said Mahtab Sirdani, one of the three guests who led the first of our curated Interfaith Second Hour discussion series. In the past, we also had Jewish, Muslim, and Christian interlocutors to discuss if the three faiths worshipped the same God. In all of these conversations, two things became clear. One, there are real differences between the faith traditions. These differences are often a source of disagreement. Two, even within the same faith community, there can be drastic differences. Think, for instance, about the many differences between Catholics and Protestants and Orthodox Christians. This is what John Boopalan, our Minister for Community Life and Theologian in Residence, presented on at a conference in Princeton this weekend. Click here to see more. We are beautiful together not in spite of our differences but because of our differences.
For Lent this year, choose to learn about a community that is different from you. This is a good time to learn about our Muslim neighbors. Yusuf Mosque is a mosque close to our church community. Given the recent tragic and harmful event against Muslims, we are going to be writing cards of support and sympathy this Sunday (March 24, 2019), immediately after service. Come join us. If you so choose, please do send a card directly to our Muslim neighbors at Yusuf Mosque (186 Chestnut Hill Ave, Brighton MA 02135) or another Muslim community close to you.
“Learning about other people and cultures is intended to make the world safe for human differences,” said Mahtab Sirdani, one of the three guests who led the first of our curated Interfaith Second Hour discussion series. In the past, we also had Jewish, Muslim, and Christian interlocutors to discuss if the three faiths worshipped the same God. In all of these conversations, two things became clear. One, there are real differences between the faith traditions. These differences are often a source of disagreement. Two, even within the same faith community, there can be drastic differences. Think, for instance, about the many differences between Catholics and Protestants and Orthodox Christians. This is what John Boopalan, our Minister for Community Life and Theologian in Residence, presented on at a conference in Princeton this weekend. Click here to see more. We are beautiful together not in spite of our differences but because of our differences.
For Lent this year, choose to learn about a community that is different from you. This is a good time to learn about our Muslim neighbors. Yusuf Mosque is a mosque close to our church community. Given the recent tragic and harmful event against Muslims, we are going to be writing cards of support and sympathy this Sunday (March 24, 2019), immediately after service. Come join us. If you so choose, please do send a card directly to our Muslim neighbors at Yusuf Mosque (186 Chestnut Hill Ave, Brighton MA 02135) or another Muslim community close to you.
Remember, there is always something we can do. Let us try.
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