Here are the four reasons why this citizen journalist who examines paths to wellness encourages you to watch this interview with Father Richard Rohr by Oprah Winfrey if you missed it (even if Oprah isn’t your thing):
1. His emphasis on contemplation and prayer beyond words over traditional Biblical prayer.
2. His answer to: Why is so difficult to change yourself, and why it’s so important to do so?
3. His answer to: How does falling in love make you a better person? (It did for me 50 years ago.)
4. His answer to: What are the differences between the “True Self” and “False Self”? (Know I know what that internal dialog I have been listening to is all about…finally.)
This examiner recently had the enlightening experience of interviewing a person he knows in Albuquerque (whom I will call AL) who says his life has been transformed by following Father Richard’s teachings ever since he moved to Albuquerque ten years ago. AL had earlier told me that prior to that he had been a “fallen away Catholic.”
AL: “The Catholic Church stopped being a part of my life,” he said. “I quit going to mass, I quit praying. I would tell others that I was “spiritual,” but not “religious.” Religion just rubbed me the wrong way. I saw others, including members of my own family being hypocritical – you know, following the rules and reading the Bible, but in their actions, they weren’t attached to St. Francis of Assisi’s dictum Pace e Bene (“Peace and all good!”) that he used as a greeting. So much was expressed by this little phrase: “May you have the fullness of well-being, may you be secure and happy; may you not want; may your dignity be respected; may the goodness in your inmost being flourish.” That’s kind of what I thought Catholicism - religion really - should be about, at least mine.“
Examiner: How did you first connect with Father Rohr’s teachings?
AL: “A co-worker here forwarded me one of his daily emails for contemplation. I immediately signed up to get them regularly.”
Examiner: What was so helpful or useful about those emails?
AL: “They aren’t like sermons. They are about topics that are both timely and relevant to my own search for the kind of person I want to be.”
Examiner: Which is?”
AL: “The kind of person all religions want their followers to be, Islam included: to be kind, loving, generous, open-minded, and all; but it seems like most people don’t actually “walk the talk.” Just read the newspaper – every day here in New Mexico, you read about people killing their own family members, corrupt peace officers and politicians, college professors accused of helping run an online prostitution ring, pedestrians regularly being struck and killed on New Mexico roads, and on and on.”
Examiner: Give me some examples of those topics.
AL: “Wow, there are so many. I love his books, especially Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life and Breathing Underwater: Spirituality and the 12 Steps. They are about the spiritual transformation of the self and the importance of becoming less consumer-oriented, proud, pro-war, racist, and class-conscious, as so many “Christians” seem to be nowadays.
“However, I think the most important idea that Father Richard talks about in his books, his emails, and his videos is his distaste for dualistic thinking or dualism (the belief that anything or anyone is either 100% good or 100% evil), which seems to be a large part of cultures – and even religions! -- around the world these days and is itself evil when taken to its extreme, as it is in the Middle East and even in America at times. Just read this, if you would.”
AL then handed me a printout that he said he found online that he carries around with him:
Rohr claims that Jesus was the first non-dualistic religious teacher of the West and is one who would surely understand and affirm the non-polarity thinking of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Along with Native religions, these three traditions emphasize the overcoming of conflicts and oppositional thinking by conversions of the heart, mind, and emotions. They are more concerned with this world than the world to come.
In contrast, the traditional accent of the monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam) on individual salvation and "us" versus "them" thinking has led to elitism, ethnic hatred, war, violence, homophobia, poverty, and the savaging of animals and the earth. Much of this conflict stems from the judging mind which ranks and excludes in its quest for certainty. Rohr laments the resistance to the radical change that Jesus proclaimed and embodied in his teachings on nonviolence, a simple lifestyle, love of the poor, forgiveness, love of enemies, inclusivity, and compassion.
May Father Richard stay well and continue to be a blessing to many.