May 10 Sunday

This morning in our Sunday discussion group at church, it really hit me how each of us sees this world, reality, through a different lens, from a different mindset or perspective. Our group watches a video lecture by Dominic Crossen about the historical life of Jesus. It is of course presented from a very rational perspective but with the obvious intention of improving the world through better understanding. Then we start to discuss what we heard. Each person speaks from their particular level or lens of understanding. Some people continue the intellectual, rational approach, they stay completely in their head, obviously enjoying the intellectual exercise. Some people go back to their childhood belief system of Jesus taking great comfort in their faith undisturbed by historical interpretations. Some see the life and teachings of Jesus as a model for social ministries today, as a way to make the world a better place. Still others see the life of Jesus as a template to use on the path to inner transformation or enlightenment.

You get the picture. We're all sitting around the table - one person says something, another person answers, then a third chimes in. We all think we are talking about the same thing. We all just heard the same lecture and that's what we're discussing. One person will take the rational route back to the ancient Roman Empire, then may come a response from the mythic belief system, "Jesus died for my sins". Another comment comes from someone seeing the story in terms of Jungian archetypes. Talk about the tower of Babel! Yet most of the time everyone comes away feeling nurtured and heard. It works because there is a genuine affection between members of the group irregardless of their different ways of seeing things. Amazing really.

It gets a little harder for sure when we don't know the other person. I need to write a letter to the board of the local electric company to express my opposition to their practice of spraying herbicides on the "right of way" land under electric wires. I know how I see reality. They are putting dangerous chemicals into the soil and water, threatenig the health of humans and animals all for the convenience of avoiding manual weed cutting.

But how do the people at the electric company see it? Could I tap into their reality for a minute and would that help? Sort of sounds like the now trivialized adage "walk a mile in my shoes". But I think the concept is vitally important. What if I first tried to write their response letter. It would probably speak of their valiant service to the customers of Newton County, providing electricity with the least possible interruption through even the most horrendous weather. There would be stories of those who even risk their lives to serve us. Clear electric lines are their priority. If I am going to write a letter they will attend to, I must recognize the value of their service not just launch into my anger and what I see that is wrong.

This is pretty basic communication skills. But living from that place creates a whole other world. This is the world where the Dali Lama can empathize with the Chinese, where the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh can work to heal the war-induced psychological wounds of American Vietnam vets and where relatives of murder victims can oppose the death penalty. This is the world where I listen with an open heart to the person whose reality doesn't match mine.

But then what? This is not just an intellectual exercise. It gets really tough. For instance, take a look at this article on the KKK in last week's Newsweek, "Rebranding Hate in the Age of Obama". Its a report on the rise of hate groups in this country and how they are using a softer image to pull people in. The first line is: "Its not about hate, its about love. Love of white people." These people have a certain level of consciousness - they see reality from their point of view - which is often called mythic. Its a world based on fear and "us" and "them". Theirs is a scary world. The good news is that most of human society has evolved beyond this view.

Seeing where a person is coming from is not the same as agreeing that their world view is correct. What makes it radical is the act of seeing this person, however confused, as a fellow human being at some stage on the path of evolution to God. We're all fellow travelers for sure. We can honor that and still have a strictly enforced "no guns" policy on the train, for those who need it.

If you can, please listen to this song and commentary. It will make your day, or week or life!