We’re having a heat wave. It’s spring and we’ve already had over ten days with temperatures above 90 degrees. That usually doesn’t happen in Atlanta until late July or August. But it’s happened in May. Given the weather, when the workers from the lawn care service arrived late in the afternoon, it was not surprising to see them looking really washed out. Seeing them, I went out to speak with the woman who owns the company. (Ironically, she was born in my home town: Johnstown, PA. She has family there. We’re also the same age.)
As I met her on the sidewalk, I greeted her and said, “Happy Ramadan!” She rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’ll be happy when the sun is down!” she responded. During the holy month of Ramadan, practicing Muslims fast from all food and beverages from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is not like the Christian Lent. Instead, Ramadan is a time to celebrate and give thanks for the prophet Mohammad’s visions recorded in the Koran. Each night is a feast, but the daytime is a fast.
Several decades ago, when I first taught classes on the great religious traditions of the world, the conceptualization from textbooks and other sources was that these were religions of faraway exotic places belonging to people who seemed so different from Americans. That perception was a false one. There have been people practicing faiths other than Christianity and Judaism in the United States for hundreds of years. Even in my small hometown, Johnstown, the woman who owns the lawn service I use today grew up learning Islam from her parents. She tells me that they can trace five generations of Muslims in her family and believe their ancestors, brought to the US as slaves, were followers of Islam.
Today in the United States, more people practice Buddhist meditation than Christian contemplative practices. Most Christians aren’t even aware that meditation has been a vital part of their own tradition, where it has largely been relegated to monasteries. Similarly, more Americans learn about breathing to enable calmness and centering from yoga than from Christian sources. Today in the business world and in universities, Buddhist mindfulness is commonly taught because of the benefits it brings to mental focus and acuity. Threads from the religions of the world have been woven into our lives today.
Yes, the religions of the world are all around us. While they are clearly visible in major cities with the presence of a variety of temples, mosques, and monasteries, these religions play a part in the lives of people in more rural areas as well. Knowing about faith traditions different from our own becomes significant in working with others today in almost any setting. Americans tend to think of religious belief as something private that’s not shared with others. But religious belief – and the lack of belief – shapes how a person understands their purpose in life, ethical decisions, matters related to topics ranging from healthcare to the care of Earth, dietary practices, and so much more. There are clear implications for healthcare professionals regarding the ways belief systems impact choices made regarding care. There are implications for business, like having the awareness to not invite Jewish and Muslim business clients to a dinner catered with Spanish tapas that’s loaded with pork. Indeed, knowing about the great religions of the world can influence all of our relationships today and our understanding of other countries and cultures.
The awareness of differences in belief systems demonstrates that a person has respect for others in an essential way. Conversely, the lack of awareness in differences in belief is based on the assumption that my beliefs, practices, and customs are superior. This latter perspective is an essential insult to others and commonly found among the religious fundamentalists of the world, whether they are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, or Buddhist. Fundamentalism and literal beliefs separate people and sow seeds of discord rather than peace and harmony.
One resource that is helping to draw us to understand the ways the religions of the world influence, shape, and color our shared life together is the Pluralism Project at Harvard. While largely aimed at communities in the Greater Boston area, the Pluralism Project underscores what it means to live with people who hold values and beliefs very different from our own. http://pluralism.org/
While I am deeply rooted in my Christian faith, I share my life and home with a man whose family is Buddhist. I live in a neighborhood where many followers of Islam also live. Many of my friends practice yoga, some referring to themselves as yogis. This is the life we all share but which we generally don’t acknowledge. However, it’s this richness and vitality of pluralism which brings me hope for the future of a global community in which peace can be nurtured among all people.
Image: Religious Symbols Cliparts #2622404 (License: Personal Use)