When Diversity Becomes Adversarial
Editorial by Dick Donnenwirth LPCC
I have just heard a sermon by my favorite homilist, Mike Graham, who told us all of the things he didn't know and all of the answers he didn't have. Now, if a Roman Catholic priest, a Jesuit and the President of Xavier University doesn't have the answers to the deeper questions of life, who does? And when Bishop John Wesley Lord ordained me a Methodist minister 45 years ago he told me "Always preach your assurances, never preach your doubts!" But, of course, Mike Graham concluded with the assurance that God does answer our life prayer - just not always in the way we'd like.
What do we do with our anger about the unthinkable multiple tragedies of September 11? Tom Gorden, author of Parent Effectiveness Training, wrote many years ago that some anger is a secondary emotional response when hurt, fear, disappointment and/or embarrassment are not dealt with in and of themselves. It seems to me that Americans and others experienced all four of these other emotions and we individually and collectively need to address these so that we aren't dealing with secondary anger. Recently, Andrew Lester, a seminary professor, told a group of pastoral counselors that in his study of anger a substantial amount of intense anger is related to the narrative we tell ourselves about the situation. So we should double check our assumptions in a given anger-producing experience and see if our assumptions are reality-based.
I personally believe that beyond and underneath the totally unconscionable terrorist activity is a fundamental ideological conflict both cultural and faith-based. Someone recently suggested that a far more effective punishment for the male terrorist leaders than death would be to force them to live as women under Taliban rule. Then there is the whole issue of the value of individual human life in contrast to the life of the community. And finally the very nature of God is interwoven with cultural differences.
So in order for our spiritually and culturally diverse world to live in peace, I believe first and foremost the status and role of women is a pivotal issue to be resolved. As for me, I start with the earlier Judeo-Christian faith egalitarian creation concept. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen 1:27) rather than the better known subservient story in Gen. 2& 3.
Second, each and every individual human life, young and old, is precious and sacred. When communal life, even combined with a faith perspective, puts aside the sanctity of individual life, historically that society has signed its death warrant. Until the diverse opinions about the importance of the individual can be regulated with lawful justice, peace will not prevail.
Finally, we are created to live as God's image not vice versa. The whole nature of a loving but just God as revealed in the person, life and teachings of Jesus is in conflict with any other image of God which, in my opinion, often reflects the temperament of the imagers. To put it bluntly, violent people tend to worship and "obey" a violent God.
As religious leaders, spiritual advisors, and pastoral counselors, we certainly do not have all the answers nor should we expect to. However, we can at least strive for conflict regulation if not conflict resolution in our world, our communities, our parishes, our families and ourselves.
(The views and opinions expressed above may not all be those of each PPI counselor or Board member).
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