They say to avoid discussing religion and politics. Well, I’m
not afraid to write about politics, and now and then address religion,
especially when they intersect.
These days, religion seems very political, unfortunately for
mostly negative reasons. Media pays much attention to the influence of radical
Islam in some terrorist movements, or as inspiration to lone lunatics. Sadly,
this fear spills over to the wider mass of non-violent Muslims desiring nothing
more than to live their lives in peace, who see their religion not as a call to
dominate those of other faiths, but merely a path to connect with a higher
power. It worsens when members of a competing faith, such as Christianity, try
to assert religious superiority not only in spiritual realms but in the
domestic political arena, with policies such as shunning our duties toward
refugees fleeing violence, or trying to ban all Muslims from entry, as
suggested by a leading American presidential candidate.
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Once on the cross, more than enough.
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Therefore, it is encouraging that local Christians, working
together through Simcoe County KAIROS, embrace their faith in an inclusive
rather than exclusive manner. This Easter will mark Barrie’s third annual Good
Friday Ecumenical Walk for Justice. Beginning and ending (with soup & bun) at
City Hall 1 – 2:30 pm on March 25, marchers will visit many “stations of the
cross” in Barrie, each relating to the struggles of dealing with poverty,
homelessness, or marginalization. Some places are where the vulnerable risk
feeling voiceless or oppressed, such as City Hall, a police station, or the
courthouse/jail, while others are places they receive support, like the David Busby Street Centre, Elizabeth Fry Society, or a church participating in the
Out of the Cold program. I am encouraged that Spirit Catcher is one of the stations,
recognizing our First Nations and their faiths which faced great repression
over the centuries. At each station, the walk will emphasize ways that “Christ
is crucified today”, relating scriptural accounts to modern-day social injustices
Christ would speak to, were He among us now.
Yet while some use faith to justify compassion and others to
justify hatred, there are also those who feel people can be ethical, moral and
compassionate without faith, relying instead on reason. Known as Humanists, they
can be good without God. The Central Ontario Humanists Association (COHA) has
spearheaded a great opportunity to learn more about that concept with “#GodDebate:
Does God Exist?” at 7 pm on March 30. Respectfully debating on the “No” side will
be COHA’s president Shawn Conroy, while arguing God’s existence will be the
Rev. William Haughton of Collier Street United Church, which is hosting the event
(thus giving God the home-field advantage). This isn’t a knockdown
winner-take-all fight, no-one will be crowned winner; instead, it will be an
opportunity for people of traditional or eclectic faiths, or no faith at all,
to explore, share and discuss their own ideas and those of others. Visit event
site http://bit.ly/GodDebate2016 to submit questions.
While I am not a believer, and don’t think scripture is
divinely inspired, much less infallible, I do believe that great moral writings
persist through history when they offer enduring insight on the human
condition, whether that be the plight of the homeless or how to show compassion toward refugees from another land. With that in mind, I look forward to both of
these upcoming faith-based local events.
Published as my Root Issues column in the Barrie Examiner as "Faith-based events will spark talk"
Erich Jacoby-Hawkins is
the vice president of the Robert Schalkenbach Foundation.
Politics and religion are not the same thing. But leaders are using it for some benefits.sant kirpal singh ji
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