Religious Terms

Some topical religious terms which may be helpful to readers of this blog.

Abortion grays: This is a term used to refer to those adults who are not strongly pro-life or pro-choice. They have reservations about abortion but do not wish to see it criminalized. They may well form the majority of adults. They are as opposed to enforced childbirth for every pregnant woman as they are to completely free access to abortion at any stage of pregnancy for any reason.

ABSOLUTISM:  The belief that absolute truths exist in the field of ethics and morality.  Typically, these truths are extracted from a holy text.  The term is analogous with the old concept that a monarchy held the ultimate authority in a state.  This was typically a king who claimed to rule by divine right. The opposite of ABSOLUTISM is RELATiVISM

Concordats: are international treaties with the Vatican that may range from granting little more than diplomatic recognition to a legally binding commitment to observe key aspects of Vatican doctrine and to have taxpayers subsidise the Church. Because the state may be put under pressure to enforce these Vatican policies.

DUALISM: The view that there are only two fundamental principles in the universe, such as good and evil or spirit and matter. They are generally opposites.  Under this concept there are no gray areas and everything is divided into pairs.  Such a belief implies the existence of two equal gods that are in conflict with each other rather than a compassionate and forgiving Creator who meets us where we are not where others would have us be.    

FAITH:  A system of religious belief.  There are many and they conflict with each other, but ultimately a gift from God.

FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE:  The question of religious liberty or conscience was one of the hottest contested issues fought during Vatican II between liberals and conservatives. Its intent was to give individuals (People of God) their God given right to claim primacy over Church teachings. The debate ended in the now familiar constitution which reads:

“Deep within their consciences men and women discover a law that they have not laid upon themselves but which they must obey. Its voice, ever calling them to love and to do what is good and to avoid what is evil, tells them inwardly at the right moment: do this, shun that. For they have in their hearts a law inscribed by God. Their dignity lies in observing this law, and by it they will be judged . . . By conscience that law is made known in a wonderful way that is fulfilled in love for God and for one's neighbour. Through loyalty to conscience Christians are joined to others in the search for truth and for the right solution to so many moral problems that arise both in the lives of individuals and in social relationships.” - Pastoral Constitution on the Modern World

Today Traditional Catholics are again challenging this ruling from Vatican II especially in such areas as abortion, the use of condoms, homosexuality, contraception, treatment of HIV/aids.  In some extreme cases some Traditional bishops have threatened or applied sanctions on laity who challenged Church teachings by applying  such measures as excommunication or access to communion.  

FREEDOM OF RELIGION:  Individuals in North American and most European countries  are guaranteed a freedom to practise their faith without any interference from the state.  This same right is not however extended to religious institutions when they seek to impose their beliefs onto the rest of the nation – see SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE

FUNDAMENTALISTS: Within Christianity, this is a term used since the 1920's to refer to the most religiously conservative groups within Protestant Christianity. Within Judaism, Islam and other religions, the term is used to refer to the extreme conservative wing who Karen Armstrong defines as "embattled forms of spirituality, which have emerged as a response to a perceived crisis" namely the fear that modernity will erode or even eradicate their faith and morality.

HOMOSEXUALITY: In all its forms lesbian, trans-sexual, etc. Human sexuality researchers and therapists have reached a near consensus that homosexuality is a minority sexual orientation, one of three natural, normal orientations, mainly caused by variation in one's hormones. see here. It is unchosen and unchangeable. Many religious conservatives believe that it is an unnatural, abnormal lifestyle, mainly caused by inadequate parenting. Some think it is chosen, and can be changed. Traditional Catholics such as Pope Benedict XVI continue to oppose scientific and medical evidence to the contrary.

    

RELATIVISM: A philosophical belief that many forms of "truth" -- particularly in the area of morals and ethics are relative and not absolute. That is, it varies from time to time and culture to culture. Antonym: absolutism.

SECULARISM: the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries(see Wikipedia).  Being SECULAR  does not necessarily imply hostility to God or religion, though some use the term this way Martin Luther used to speak of "secular work" as a vocation from God for most Christians
When Pope Benedict XVI speaks of SECULARISM he means anyone who does not belong to the one and only TRUE Church and are therefore not Roman Catholic. Some opponents of church-state separation redefine “secularism” as “state neutrality” to allow their group (among others) to get state funding. Others try to discredit it by confusing “secularism” with “atheism”. But it's a political, rather than a religious doctrine and its purpose is to help level the playing field in order to give a better chance for human rights. See also: TEMPORAL

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE:   In the Western world most countries have adopted the ‘separation of State and church or religion’. While such separation prevents the State from supporting any religion or from interfering with it also obliges religion to leave the public sphere open to all. When both sides respect the boundaries, secularism provides a framework for freedom of conscience, tolerance and democracy. Secularism does not guarantee human rights but it helps make them possible.

SLIPPERY SLOPE:  In logic and critical thinking, a slippery slope is a logical device, but is usually known under its fallacious form in which a person asserts that some event must inevitably follow from another without any rational argument or demonstrable mechanism for the inevitability of the event in question. A slippery slope argument states that a relatively small first step leads to a chain of related events culminating in some significant effect, much like an object given a small push over the edge of a slope sliding all the way to the bottom. The strength of such an argument depends on the, i.e. whether or not one can demonstrate a process which leads to the significant effect. The fallacious sense of "slippery slope" is often used synonymously with continuum fallacy, in that it ignores the possibility of middle ground and assumes a discrete transition from category A to category B. Modern usage avoids the fallacy by acknowledging the possibility of this middle ground. - Wikipedia

TEMPORAL: Of or relating to the material world; worldly: the temporal possessions of the Church.

THEOCRACY: The opposite of secularism can be found in a theocratic nation which is run under the direct control or of a particular or chosen religious institution. Theocracy exists in many countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It is well known that many of these theocratic nations are found to be responsible for many horrific human abuses. However, that is not to say that a theocratic State could not be run free of such abuses.

Theology VS Mysticism
      Theology: The art of telling stories about the Divine. Also the art of listening to them.
      Mysticism: The art of tasting and feeling in your heart the inner meaning of such stories to the point that they transform you.  

Current high profile topics in the U.S. -- with a religious component:

Of the hundreds of religious topics saturating the news, the following appear to have the highest profile right now. It is interesting that 5 of the 7 topics are related to human sexuality and/or gender. The following seem to be the most important current topics of concern to many faith groups:

	Same-sex marriage: What rights and protections should same-sex couples and their children have? Should they be allowed to marry, or be only registered in civil unions, or be allowed only to enter domestic partnerships, or be legally considered "legal strangers" -- merely as roommates? In mid-2013, the U.S. Supreme Court essentially overturned Proposition 8: a California referendum in 2008 that banned same-sex marriages in the state. Marriages are now available to same-sex couples in that state, in 12 other states and in the District of Columbia.
	Abortion access: In what situations should informed women be free to choose to have an abortion: all, none, or some? What are the best ways to reduce abortions: by restricting access or by making childbirth more feasible, or by increasing contraceptive usage. Would educating sexually active youth in how to prevent pregnancy and STIs help or hinder?
	Islamophobia: This involves fear, anger, hatred, discomfort, and/or discrimination directed against Muslims. Some target the 19 perpetrators of 9/11; some a group of violent radicals within Islam; some against all of the world's 1.2 billion Muslims.
	Religious freedom:  This term has two very different meanings. In the past it referred to people being free to believe as they wish, assemble with others of the same religious tradition, engage in different religious practices, proselytize freely, etc. However, it is now often used to mean something very different: to use religious freedom to oppress, denigrate, and attack women and minorities -- particularly sexual minorities.
	The fight against the HHS birth control mandate: A recent Health and Human Services mandate requires most employee health insurance policies -- including those used by Catholic hospitals, universities, agencies, etc. -- to offer free access to birth control to the employees.  The church feels that it is their religious right to fight its employees' access to contraception. Many of their Catholic and non-Catholic employees beg to differ. Numerous court cases are being fought. If the mandate survives, then there is likely to be a drastic reduction in unexpected, unwanted pregnancies, and thus a massive drop in the number of abortions.
	"Federal Defense of Marriage act (DOMA):" This law originally prevented legally married same-sex couples and their children from obtaining any of the approximately 1,138 federal benefits, protections, and rights that were automatically given as special privileges only to opposite-sex married couples. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on 2013-JUN-26 that Section 3 of the law was unconstitutional. Same-sex married couples now have the same rights as opposite-married couples subject to some limitations. This ruling is expected to have a major long term impact on LGBT equality because of the majority opinion written by Justice Anthony Kennedy.
	"Boy Scouts of America" (BSA): The BSA prohibited LGBT youth and adults from joining, and expelled any such persons when they were discovered within the organization. Delegates to their annual meeting voted to allow LGBT youths to join, but to expell them at age 18. Conservative religious denominations and para church groups are outraged that LGBT youths are allowed to join; some are organizing groups in competition to the BSA. Source: http://www.religioustolerance.org/

What is Truth?

Can we ever know The Truth, about ourselves, others or God?  Or is the truth relative to our situation, culture, ego, our particular choice of religion or our relationship with God?  Much of what we see as truth is based on our adopted ‘belief system’ as influenced by any of the factors mentioned above.      

I invite visitors to read the following article by Dr. Susan Gregg, with her kind permission, about this daunting question.   

There is No "The Truth"

I spent years studying countless philosophies, religions, and metaphysical doctrines looking for the truth. I finally realized they were all belief systems developed by someone else. All of them were merely someone else's filter system. At first I found my discovery upsetting, but eventually I realized how freeing it really was. There is no such thing as the truth. I don't have to defend my beliefs, because they aren't necessarily the truth.

Everyone has his or her own truth, and the truth is relative. There is no one truth. Truth is part of our per­spective. Another word for the truth is belief. Once we realize there is no "the truth" we realize how words such as right and wrong are relative. Once we let go of our need to find "the truth," we are free to let go of many other limitations. We can stop searching for some ultimate yardstick against which to measure life and ourselves. We can begin to release our iron grip on our need to judge everything and everyone. We judge things so we can feel safe, so we can feel like we are on the right side. If there is no "the truth," we don't need to choose sides anymore, either.

Giving up your quest for the truth will set you free. It will also allow you to see what your truth is for today and release your attachment to it. You won't need to defend yourself and your truth, which prevented you from changing. Since there is no "the truth," you can't he wrong. It becomes easier to accept the fact that you're perfect just the way you are.  – Dr. Susan Gregg, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Spiritual Healing (2000).

Most Christians after reading this will hastily interrupt and demand an answer  to their question: “what about Jesus when he says “I am the way and the truth and the life”?   At the same time I can hear more fervent voices argue, yea, see your completely wrong Trebert, Jesus clearly stated (John 14:6) that he is the Truth, so don’t tell us there is no such thing as “the truth”!  And here I will readily admit that that is exactly what Jesus said, as well as on many other occasions.  But here’s the difference.  Living Christ’s word enables one to know the truth and so be free (John 8:32).  Christian freedom is not due to possession of correct knowledge (God, after all is beyond all human understanding) but rather comes from relationship to that which is truly real, namely, God.

Still sure you or your religious institution can contain truth?  One of the most disturbing or challenging passages quoted by Jesus can be found in Luke 14:26 as follows:   If anyone come to me and does not hate his own his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sister, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”.  If ever there was an example where we might find Truth then here it is as based on the words of Fr. Anthony de Mello, from his book ‘The Way To Love’. 

“If people want happiness so badly, why don't they attempt to understand their false be­liefs? First, because it never occurs to them to see them as false or even as beliefs. They see them as facts and reality, so deeply have they been programmed. Second, because they are scared to lose the only world they know: the world of desires, attachments, fears, social pres­sures, tensions, ambitions, worries, guilt, with flashes of the pleasure and relief and excitement which these things bring. Think of someone who is afraid to let go of a nightmare because, after all, that is the only world he knows. There you have a picture of yourself and of other people.

If you wish to attain to lasting happiness you must be ready to hate father, mother, even your own life and to take leave of all your posses­sions. How? Not by renouncing them or giving them up because what you give up violently you are forever bound to. But rather by seeing them for the nightmare they are; and then, whether you keep them or not, they will have lost their grip over you, their power to hurt you, and you will be out of your dream at last, out of your darkness, your fear, your unhappiness.

So spend some time seeing each of the things.”

Long before his election, Benedict said that relativism—the idea that one man's truth is as good as another's—was the central crisis of modern culture. And as pope he aims to halt that trend by reinvigorating the traditional faith and reconstituting the very idea of holding a firm belief in a divine, unchanging, and uncompromising truth. But that starting point is also where Benedict's agenda ends, and it is a powerful indication that the great era of Catholic social activism may be drawing to a close.

Award winning British author David Gibson in his book 'The Rule of Benedict' (2006) has this to say about Benedicts use of the term Relativism "Absolutizing what is not absolute but relative is called totalitarianism.  It does not liberate man, but takes away his dignity and enslaves him. It is not ideologies that save the world, but only a return to the living God, our Creator, the guarantor of our freedom, the guarantor of what is really good and true. True revolution consists in simply turning to God who is the measure of what is right and who at the same time is everlasting love".

God’s gift of freedom comes with heavy price – our ego’s. Religious extremism, in all its ugly and deadly forms, is born out ofbelieve that we, not God, possesses the ultimate truth.

“Reprove yourself if ever the devil, or your own short-sightedness, should do you the disservice of making you want to force all my servants to walk by the same path as you yourself follow, for this would be contrary to the teachings given you by my Truth”. – God speaking to Catherine of Sienna  

Addendum: 26/06/13

 

 

What is Truth?
Monday August 26, 2013

Karen Berg

 

Truth is a very interesting concept. What is truth? My truth and your truth are not necessarily the same. Each one of us sees what our own senses allow us to see, and this can create sometimes minor, sometimes major differences in what we each consider to be the truth.

How do we know the actual truth? Look around the world. There are so many religions, so many types of faith. Some of them even assert themselves to be the truth faith.

The word “spiritual” means “involved with the spirit,” and that spirit has no name. It is not a Christian spirit, nor Jewish, nor Buddhist, nor any other limiting description; it is only Spirit. When a soul leaves the body, that soul is connected to — and returns to — Spirit. The soul goes to its source of Light, which I do believe is beyond what we consider the limitations of a particular faith. Being one of the “faithful” is simpler than being spiritual because you can become a follower of what you are told without thinking about what it means. Sometimes the faithful follower has little connection with spirituality.

The reason that many people in the world follow something — be it a religion, a way of life such as vegetarianism, an individual, or any other structured way of living — is because on a personal level, we as humans naturally resist taking responsibility for our own spiritual growth and change.

But love, joy, and tenderness are not necessarily involved when one is a follower. Many followers are merely content in their belief that the rules that they live by will guide them and that they are doing the proper things in life; they require and ask for nothing more.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that religion (or specific eating habits and lifestyles, for that matter) are not spiritual: Anything that gives rise to a purification of any kind, whether of the body or the mind, leads one to a closer awareness of the Spirit. What I am saying, however, is that true growth requires that we constantly check ourselves as to whether we are accepting responsibility for our own thoughts and actions

 

 

Secularism and Catholic Education

During his recent state sponsored visit to Germany Pope Benedict XVI once again warned about the spreading danger of secularism.  A favourite topic of his and one he likes to promote wherever he can find a world audience. including the annual World Youth conference in Spain last August.  Similar dire warnings are often repeated by many of his self appointed and loyal officials such as Toronto Archbishop Thomas Collins.  Speaking at the Canadian Catholic School Trustees' Association conference in Ottawa Sept. 23 Collins decided to heighten the hype by referring to secularism as something we are now “marinated” in.

Secularism: the principle of separation between government institutions and the persons mandated to represent the State from religious institutions and religious dignitaries(see Wikipedia).

The opposite of secularism can be found in a theocratic nation which is run under the direct control or of a particular or chosen religious institution.  Theocracy   exists in many countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.  It is well known that many of these theocratic nations are found to be responsible for many horrific human abuses. However, that is not to say that a theocratic State could not be run free of such abuses.

In the Western world most countries have adopted the separation of State and church or religion. But here follows the importance of such legislation. While separation of church and state prevents the State from supporting any religion or from interfering with it also obliges religion to leave the public sphere open to all.  When both sides respect the boundaries, secularism provides a framework for freedom of conscience, tolerance and democracy.  Secularism does not guarantee human rights but it helps make them possible.  But as long as the world religions are unable to dialogue and find peace among them there will be no peace in the world (Hans Kung) .

When the Vatican talks about Secularism it seems to be suggest “there is only one true religion and that is Roman rule or Catholicism as narrowly defined by Pope Benedict XVI”.  Remember Benedict has indicated on many occasions that he wants a smaller church – a church that is based on strict orthodoxy (absolutism) and considers all other religions as inferior. In an effort to blame its problems on modernism, relativism and secularism Benedict continues to block the progress and enthusiasm that was generated by Vatican II.  It has effectively stifled any progress on further ecumenism.

Secularism is a thorn in the side of the church when it comes to Catholic Education particularly when such education is publically funded.  Archbishop Collins speaking to Catholic educators stressed that in order for Catholic education to be fervently Catholic “we need to maintain and strengthen the Catholic identity of our schools. But what he failed to mention was that this requires an absolute obedience to Church teachings – even at the expense of one’s higher and informed conscience. 

Traditionalists must not forget  that the Catholic school system in Ontario is now also supported by those so-called ‘secular ’ tax payers most (90%) of whom also believe in God. Not all Catholics have a problem with this and many more would like to see a more inclusive approach to religion one that includes dialogue with other faiths. Being followers of Christ is not about belonging to some exclusive club. Jesus did not limit his teaching/healing to people of his Jewish background.  Catholics are not prevented from exercising their individual rights thanks largely in part to the separation of church and state. A Catholic, who chooses not to enter into a same-sex marriage, obtain an abortion, etc., is free to do so. However, that same individual must respect the right of others to choose otherwise. Jesus referred to this as rendering unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar. Catholics are free to teach their respective ethics and morals. However, they must also respect the individual rights of others. They cannot be enforced on all. Remember slavery and the death penalty were at one time promoted in many Christian countries.  Our faith is a free gift from God and has nothing to do with what others do or believe.

The future of Catholic education does not depend on promoting strict Catholic orthodoxy but to paraphrase Pope John XXIII opening windows that will embrace the Spirit of inclusion and finding God in all people and all faiths.  This could also mean finding God in where people are – not where we would have them be.  Such a change is the very dynamic of the Holy Spirit.  Yes, this could be a serious blow to many Traditionalists but the Roman Church must no longer use old wine skins to solve the problems of today.  Jesus meets us in the here and now – not in the yesterday, not in the tomorrow.

Bishop Collins, administrators and the various users of the Catholic School system cannot ignore the fact when such schools are publically funded it includes many of those dreaded secularist.  Finally, it is hoped that the the real 'treasure' of Catholicism will be found in the ordinary people, the laity and the secular supporters who are already fully prepared to work for such a change.   

Finally, some readers may be asking "Should Catholic schools take in children of other faiths"?  For a thoughtfull opinion on this question please refer to the article ' When are Catholic schools no longer Catholic?' as it appeared in a recent edition of 'The Tablet' a U.K. based weekly magazine for Catholics - click here.