My Religion Is Better Than Your Religion
Rev. Chuck Freeman
Live Oak, Septebmer 19, 1999
I have joked that I want this saying about the role of a competent Minister on my
tombstone; "He comforted the afflicted, and afflicted the comfortable."
This is sermon is in the latter category- afflicting the comfortable.
Story about Dr. Lieberman: "To be educated is to know how to think."
I am also lobbying for honesty and realness. In seeking to be open minded, we can
easily fall into the pit of self-deception in regard to where we stand.
Ken Wilber in his book, "A Brief History of Everything" gave me the idea for
today's consideration.
Before I read the passage, let me set out three basic ethical/spiritual developmental
stages that he outlines.
Egocentric- the viewpoint of the child. They are narcissistic. The most basic or
immature way of relating to the world. Egocentric does not mean that these people think
only about themselves, but they are incapable of thinking about themselves. This
individual is unable to differentiate self from the rest of the world. Their lives are
impulse driven. They feel that their pain, pleasure, perspectives are shared by all
persons.
Sociocentric/Ethnocentric- My reality is shaped by the way I fit with the roles,
scripts, rules, games, ideology, mythology of my peer group. If you are a member of my
tribe, church, race, club, country then you are OK. You are acceptable. You are saved. If
not, you be damned.
Worldcentric/Global- Another moving away from narcissism. This is the mature ego. A
transcendence of self. The ability for critical thinking. You want to know what is right
and fair, not just for yourself, but for all peoples. You espouse equal opportunity
regardless of creed, sex, race, or other ways we classify human beings. Universal
pluralism is embraced. This is a very recent development in human cultural evolution.
Read Wilber, p. 188-189. Multiculturalism is one manifestation of the worldcentric
stance.
I grew up in a religion that believed not only that they were better than other
churches, but also they were the only ones who had it right. The only people on the earth
that will be saved in the judgement.
Wilber's contention here disturbed me. I have not come this far to trade one
exclusivism for another. However, the more I reflected on what he was saying, I believe
his thoughts have merit, and possess authenticity.
Perhaps our religious viewpoint is more mature. Maybe there is a distinction between
saying my religion is better than another, and in dictating my belief as the one &
only "true" faith.
Is toleration for religions operating in egocentric or sociocentric dynamics violated
by a rational assessment that my beliefs operate on a higher order?
I absolutely maintain that any person or group has the privilege to believe how they
choose. But, this is not the same as saying all beliefs make sense equally. And it surely
does not hold that when it comes to social relationship or public policy, that I want an
egocentric or ethnocentric types making the laws, and establishing the norms.
I want to tell you a true story that will illustrate what I am saying. This tale
concerns religion and prayer in the public school.
Let me lay a foundation first. Separation of Church and State may be possible. But, I
do not hold that the separation of Religion and Government is possible or even desirable.
Religion is how we make sense of reality. It cannot be excised from the human
enterprise. This is a major difficulty with the experiment we are conducting in this
country. But, that is the concern of another sermon.
If you don't like the word religion, fill in your own, such as, philosophy, myth,
ideology, ethics, or morality. Every society has these underpinnings.
Certainly, this nation was established with a religious sensibility at the heart of how
we order our common life together. The first amendment echoes the kind of theology that we
as Unitarian Universalists espouse: "Congress shall make no law respecting an
establishment of religion; or abridging the free exercise thereof."
Thomas Jefferson's "Virginia Statute Of Religious Liberty" penned in 1786 was
a precursor to this first amendment right. These lines from Jefferson's document reveal a
humanistic view of the world, and a naturalistic view of the divine, once again, in
concert with our core beliefs.
"Whereas Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence
it by temporal punishments or burthens, or by civil incapacitation's, tend only to beget
habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and are a departure from the plan of the Holy author of
our religion…
Yet as we are free to declare, and do declare, that the rights hereby asserted are of
the natural rights of mankind, and that if any act shall hereafter be passed to repeal the
present, or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement of natural
right."
I am suggesting that the organizing religion of this country, in principle, shadows the
tenets of our faith tradition.
Now to our story. Lisa Hurdall moved to Pontotoc, Miss. In 1994 with her children and
husband. Her spouse had family and employment there. This is 40 miles from my Grandma's
house. I have been roller-skating in Pontotac.
She grew up in San Diego, was raised in a Christian home, and went to church every
Sunday.
Lisa's kids began to come home telling her of Bible studies in the classroom, group
Christian prayers before lunch, and over the loudspeaker in the morning.
This practice didn't square with her recollection of the Supreme Court's 1963 decision
about prayer in schools.
Lisa went through the proper chain of authority in the North Pontotoc School District
only to be told that this is the way it has been done here for 50 years, move somewhere
else if you don't like it.
Eventually, Danny Lampley of the ACLU in Mississippi took her case. The judge put a
restraining order on loudspeaker prayers until the case was settled in court.
Baptist Minister, Rev. Doug Jones organized, "Citizens for School Prayer" and
1300 kids met in the gym each morning for "voluntary prayer," and scripture
reading.
Rallies were held, with both sides of the street to the school lined with parents,
school children, and townspeople chanting in favor of prayer. One of the signs a young
teenager held read; "Do it God's way or no Way- Pray!"
Lisa Hurdall received death threats, bomb threats, and calls saying her children would
be next. She lost her job managing a convenience store. No one in the town would employ
Lisa. She learned to fire a gun and carried it with her.
Her kids were harassed at school, called atheists and devil worshippers.
Pastor Sonny Mills of Grace Assembly of God told an interviewer on tape; "The ACLU
is to the Christian belief what the Nazi was to the Jew."
The North Pontotoc School Superintendent was mailed in the vicinity of 40,000 letters
from across the country in support of continuing their policies.
The majority of citizens of Pontotoc believed their first amendment rights were being
violated. They made up yard signs and tee shirts with the slogan; "Religious
Freedom" printed on them.
A local businessman stated that the ACLU was committing an act of aggression by
attacking their homefront. He said, "The ACLU is as liberal as you can get, as far
from God as you can get."
Rev. Anthony Collier of Cherry Creek Baptist Church decried Lisa Hurdall as "a
lady controlled by Satan, with many demonic spirits, one who's not in touch with God, one
who do not uphold the principle of Christ."
In March of '96 the trial began. Lisa and her family were led to the court by a
sheriff.
Outside the courthouse a Minister led teenagers in the song, "Let Us Pray."
Other supporters cheered, "Ho, Ho, Hey, Hey, the first amendment is here to
stay."
A small group of college students and adults from across the state gathered to uphold
Lisa's cause. Their chant was 2,4,6,8, separate church and state.
Rev. Jones asked; "Is it right for one person to tell 1,300 they can't pray? Is
this a democracy? Is this a republic? Where are we living? This is the United States of
America."
He went on to declare; "If we could come back to the morals and ethics of the
1950's, it would be like a spiritual awakening in this country."
Judge Biggers ruled in June 1996 that intercom prayer, classroom lunch prayer,
religious videotapes in American history class, and Bible instruction in the classroom was
unconstitutional.
Rev. Doug Jones responded to the decision;"I believe the agenda of the ACLU &
The People For The American Way, is a God free school, a God free court, a God free
country."
2&1/2 years after work began on the Hurdall trial the judge ruled that the Pontotoc
School District was to pay $144,000 for court and lawyer's fees. Danny Lampley, Lisa's
attorney was living in his office, among piles of boxes, sleeping on a cot. His cut for 26
months of representation was $39,000 and some change.
Rev. Jones called William Murray to help the community raise the money Pontotoc owed.
Ironically, he was the young student, on behalf of which his mother, Madeline Murray
O'Hair won the landmark 1963 Supreme Court decision on school prayer. William is now a
born again Christian.
At a rally on the steps of city hall a prayer opened the occasion. "We know that
one of the god's of the ACLU is money, but (God) since this is your money, I pray that you
will not let a single penny of this money be used to defend any atheist or abortionist,
communist or criminal, lesbian or liberal, ungodly, or unrighteous cause. We ask these
things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen"
William Murray preached to the crowd; "It is my personal belief that the ACLU is a
criminal enterprise, designed to extort $$ from hard working, tax paying
Americans…One day very soon the extortioners will stand before God, and they will pay
back that $144,000 over, and over, and over again."
In Santa Fe, N.M. Lisa Hurdall, received the "Medal of Liberty" at the ACLU's
National Conference, the association's highest award. Her speech was greeted with a
standing ovation.
"My children have learned, # one, I think, the biggest lesson is what being a
minority means. I think that's one of the biggest lessons anybody can learn. Because,
there's all different kinds of minorities. There's religious minorities, there's colored
minorities. In our community it's anyone who thinks differently, or voices their opinion,
is a minority…
They have also learned that no matter how hard it is, that standing up and saying no is
absolutely OK to do, even when nobody else agrees with you, even when nobody else stands
up with you."
At the graduation ceremony for Pontotoc High School those gathered sang "Amazing
Grace" and the Valedictorian led the seniors and families in a Christian prayer. (
This story is taken from the documentary, "School Prayer: A Community At War"
shown on "Point Of View," on PBS)
Which religious perspective do you want setting the pace for our lives in the public
forum?
Read from Wilber,"Sex, Ecology, Spirituality," p.201, 202.
These religious perspectives are not just different. One says if you don't belong to
our group, if you don't believe as we do, suck it up, leave, or be branded as a criminal
and worshipper of Satan.
The other says it is wrong to treat fellow humans this way. The embrace of Divinity is
too broad to be drawn this narrow. One belief is shallow. One esteems the depth of Being.
Our religion is the latter. With paradox on my tongue, with authenticity and clarity in my
bones, understanding in my mind, and compassion in my heart; I say our religion is better.
Shalom
PS. If this acknowledgement creates arrogance or one- up manship you have disqualified
yourself.
Copyright
©2006, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church.