Interfaith- My thoughts on religion

This most recent disaster has once again reminded us that our brothers and sisters in the developing world are suffering and it is time we "lived" our lives differently rather than just simply writing a check and going on with our day. We grow as individuals through acts of solidarity. Beliefs mean nothing if they are not lived out in our daily lives.

So if we believe that caring for the "least among us" is what we are called to do (no matter what faith or creed leads us to that belief), then let us move together, work together, love together to transform the world around us.  As we begin to "Live" rather than just adhering to some mental creed, then we will notice that beliefs are of a lower category than action. Don't tell me what it means to love... show me. Don't tell me what you believe... show me.  The fruits of your actions will indicate the validity of your beliefs.  Jesus, Muhammed, Buddha, Ghandi, King- you know where they will be found and it will be working together alongside the oppressed, the suffering, the outsider that has been forgotten.

There have been a lot of people hating on religion lately (Richard Dawkins was actually my neighbor at Oxford and I'd always meet him when I was running in university parks and he was walking his dogs) and I could not agree more with many of their points. Religion can be the ugliest of things when it is used to form another "we" group that sets itself above those who have different beliefs or when it is used to justify our own prejudices.  But Religion can also be a beautiful thing. For me personally, it provides me with the wisdom, the tradition, the language, and the community to reflect on my life and determine what brings my life true meaning and fulfillment. At the social level, on the whole, look what a good role religion is playing in the reconstruction of Haiti. Of course you have the nutjobs like Pat Robertson who make Christians look like self-righteous idiots. But who is responding to the needs of their neighbors on the ground in Haiti? (Click Here) Catholic Relief Services is working next to Islamic Relief who is working side by side with the Jewish Coalition for Disaster Relief (I also don't want to exclude secular organizations or those without any religious affiliations.  I know many agnostics and atheists who are living out of a humanistic impulse for the betterment of mankind).  There are great reports of Scientologists who are cleaning feces out of bed pans at the hospitals. I don't care what I've heard about the "beliefs" of scientology, a faith that motivates people to travel to a disaster situation and clean out bed pans is a faith that earns my respect.

One of my favorite quotes to live by is this: "Evangelize to the whole world, but only use words when absolutely necessary." Religion at its best is not a way of thinking, it is a way of living. God speaks through all religions and through no religion at all to meet us where we are at, and encourages us to find the fullness of life by loving and living for our brothers and sisters in need.