Everything I need to know, I learn from bumper stickers around me.
The intersection of religion and politics leaves me dismayed when I look at the US and India. As a product of Catholic education from K to 12th grade, I speak with some knowledge about Jesus. In my formative years, I was taught math, science, history, language, literature, and the Bible by German, American and Indian nuns. Collectively they left an indelible and positive mark on me. Thankfully, my experience was devoid of the abuse the church heaped in the world.
While we practiced Hinduism at home, we started our day in school with Our Father Who Art In Heaven. We made the cross sign on our chest and simultaneously sent prayers up to the Hindu trinity before big exams. We were and continue to be equal opportunity blessing seekers.
In India of my childhood, secularity held a profound meaning. It meant celebrating all traditions. We had time off for Hindu, Islamic, Christian and Sikh holidays. If the Jewish population were bigger, we’d celebrate their traditions too. We freely indulged in the appropriate wishes, foods, camaraderie. My mother took us to the mandir (Hindu), gurdwara (Sikh), darga (Islamic) and church to make sure we respected all religions. I don’t see anybody doing this anymore.
In the US we found a different definition of secularity - an austere version that respected all religions and traditions without endorsing any. Wishing “Happy Spring Break” and “Happy Holidays” took adjustment, but eventually we came to admire this way of thinking as well.
Fast forward 40-odd years and it looks like Christianity and Hinduism have been hijacked, pushed through a vise and pounded into a shape I hardly recognize. Hypocrisy on the political stage confounds me every single day, a lot of it in the name of returning us to our religious roots.
Blue lives matter when the opposition is protesting police brutality. When your guys attack cops, they are patriots. The unborn life is precious but the death row inmate deserves a brutal end.
Diversity is a dirty word until you discriminate. Then you say it is merit. You call for merit but only hire those who agree with your views. You are righteous but you vilify those not like you.
You take government insurance but rail against those who take assistance. When your forefathers pushed out the Native Americans to flee persecution and find better economic opportunity, you called it ingenuity. When those less fortunate than you do it now, you call it an invasion.
You want open borders but lock your doors at night. You speak in a forceful voice but won’t tolerate dissent. You call for law-and-order but challenge the law till it suits your purpose. When the pastor beseeches you to show mercy, you demand an apology from the pastor!
Yesterday I saw a car with two bumper stickers. The one on the right said “The Lord Loves You!” and the one on the left said “Screw Unto Others As They Would Screw Unto You.”
I suspect the Jesus I know, the one that the nuns taught me about, whose cross sits among the pantheon of Hindu gods in our home would not recognize these followers who invoke him. The Hindu Gods wouldn’t recognize their rabid followers either.
We know the religious greats all said the same thing - be the best human you can be, do what is demanded of you without expectations, practice kindness and be of service to others. Sadly and too often, the faithful distort the message and twist and turn the essential tenets into tools of political and socio-economic warfare.
That brings me to a bumper sticker I saw years ago. Simply, it said: “Lord, Save Me From Your Followers.”
I have no solutions to the topics that cause the tension but common sense dictates that only compassionate answers are sustainable. May the kind beings who inspired the good thoughts that preceded the religious texts guide us and may we have the sense to know what in these books cause us to be less than the best possible humans.
Heck, let’s not even read the books. Just look at the bumpers around you and let’s all make sure kindness is everything. That’s hard enough to do without throwing ideologies into the mix!
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