The past week or so has seen Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, hold hearings on Muslims in America, Libya devolve into another Middle East mess with Col. Moammar Kaddafi attacking his own people, and Christians beginning the 40-day-long Lenten fast and preparation for Easter. It's as good a moment as any to pause and learn from two mystics whose lives overlapped nearly 1,000 years ago.
The Muslim poet Rumi was born in Persia in 1207, and his writings provided the people who read his work a new perspective of the world and life. A few thousand miles away, an Italian Catholic friar from Assisi named Francis lived, and by his simple actions changed his community and an entire church. Both Rumi and Francis still influence us today.
Both of these men came of age in a time of great change and upheaval, a time of bloody conflict between followers of Islam and Christianity. Both Rumi and St. Francis, through their simple words and actions, preached a path of love, forgiveness, and understanding. While each was informed by different faiths, families, and local environments, their messages couldn't have been more similar and soulful.
These thoughtful and heart-driven men believed that we are all part of the same universe created by God, interconnected in more ways than we will ever know, and that our most important obligation is to care for each other as we would ourselves, and follow a path of love. Love drove the words they communicated, whether in poems or preaching, and the actions they took in their communities to lift up their fellow human beings.
Each concentrated on the values, dreams, and desires we all share as human beings, and not on the differences between us, whether it be language, ritual, manners or even faiths. Francis reached out with a humble and open hand and heart to those of Muslim faith, even while bloodshed between Christians and Muslims surrounded him. He wanted to follow the path of love Jesus Christ laid down a thousand years before him. A path the Catholic Church had diverged drastically from in his time.
Francis realized that the truest path to God was recognizing the divinity that exists within each of us, whether we are rich or poor, healthy or sick, famous or unknown. And that upon that divine recognition our purpose becomes one of compassion and love reflected in the manner we care for each other.
Rumi wrote thousands of amazing poems and words, in a language and alphabet Francis couldn't read, about the beauty of love and the power it has to change one's own heart and those surrounding us. Rumi also lived in an environment where hate towards Christians and others not of his faith burned like a bonfire all around him. And he, like St. Francis, believed that hate would only destroy the good in us, and the true path of faith was built with bricks of love and mortar of truth and understanding. Ever the devout and faithful Muslim, Rumi is quoted as saying, "Christian, Jew, Muslim, shaman, Zoroastrian, stone, ground, mountain, river, each has a secret way of being with the mystery, unique and not to be judged."
Today we are faced with many difficult problems -- war, earthquakes and tsunamis, poverty, illness, and tremendous worry and anxiety not unlike that of Rumi's and Francis's time. We are in an era of great economic and technological change that has left many people bewildered and looking for something to hold onto and bind us together as one. Many of our institutions have failed us and we no longer trust in them, and we wander in search of a sense of belonging and purpose as one.
Today we have many politicians and leaders who may have good intentions of protecting their faith or the homeland, whether here in the states or in the Middle East, but whose words and actions don't bring us together and instead highlight our differences and the distance between us. And this leads not to healing but to further harm.
I find it extraordinary that two people growing up at the same terrible time hundreds of years ago, but living in worlds far apart in nearly every way, saw the answer to our ills in the exact same way -- the healing power of love in thought and action. And maybe it would be good to recall the words that Francis is reported to have said, "So precious is a person's faith in God, so precious; never should we harm that. Because He gave birth to all religions." And as we each act from love towards one another maybe, to paraphrase Rumi, we can begin to unfold our own myth for our country and ourselves.
Also, during the time of francis, catholics were doing horrible things,
and a few centuries later, they were doing indulgences, where people paid them money to go to heaVen
how many christians would actually give up riches for poverty and live with the animals? the answer is none. Most christians believe they are above the animals, do you think that attitude was different in francis' time?
Those who believe in separation see things exeternal to themself and say, "That is not of me." They see things they don't agree with and say, "That is not of my religion. That is not of what I believe to be true." They see things they don't like, and say, "That is not of my God."
Those who understand unity see everything that exists as, "That is of me. That is of God."
Ultimately, it does a disservice to "preach" any single value, whether love, faith, compassion, or some other small set of values. Christians were told not to judge, but they should still use good judgment.
At what point do you philosophers recognize that the power of "love" is not a driving power for all humans ... sure it's one ... but the mere accumulation of "power" is another.
I hate to pop your little love-bubble, but there are some pretty power-driven people in the world. Jesus, when he created a scene in the Jerusalem temple, berated the Publicans. Today, we have our own set of Publicans, but they can be referred to as 'Publicans. Their motives haven't changed (gather all you can).
Religion isn't going to fix those who desire power ... not even those who use religion to ACQUIRE it.
There is a rather large group who feel personal power over others is their goal in life. While I disagree with them, I must deal with them every day.
My point is that, some mild, mindless fascination with "Love" is wonderful, but unrealistic. Power-mongers exist in droves ... are we to pretend they don't?
Social realities and ethos bleed through into religions not the other way round.
Religions (and other monolithic institutions) do far more to suppress the urge to 'be nice' by focusing on the negative aspects (fear, greed, xenophobia) than they do to foster the positive ones.
The sun is my lord. I have no longing
except for the One.
When a wind of personal reaction comes,
I do not go along with it.
There are many winds full of anger,
and lust, and greed. They move the rubbish
around, but the solid mountains of our true nature
stays where it's always been.
There's nothing now
except the divine qualities.
Come through the opening into me.
Your impudence was better than any reverence,
because in this moment I am you and you are me.
I give you this opened heart as God gives gifts:
The poision of your spit has become
the honey of friendshipÂ." Rumi...
And a big chunk of those failed institutions are Christianity and the Muslim faiths. And they've failed because of mixed messages; you can't put Leviticus up against the Sermon on the Mount or the Qur'an with its hundreds of pages filled with the killing and maiming of infidels against its overtures of peace . . . and hope that the True Believers of each faith get some kind of coherent message to live by.
Regards
Unless you were female. Animals, yes. Women, no.
"I find it extraordinary that two people growing up at the same terrible time hundreds of years ago, but living in worlds far apart in nearly every way, saw the answer to our ills in the exact same way..."
Really? You think they're the only two people who have ever thought this ever in the history of all the billions of people who have ever lived? Really??
And I'm not so sure about Rumi, but don't forget that Francis had his own agenda.
Come to think of it ALL religion oppresses women and gives men the power to control women.
Most major wars are based on religion and the majority of world conflicts are tied to religious scriptures discriminating against someone.
Makes me wonder if perhaps it is the WOMEN who have the gift of peace and harmony that men are suppressing.
He had a hearing on Muslims?
Lauri Lumby
Authentic Freedom Ministries
http://yourspiritualtruth.com