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Race Relations and
Fundamentalism
by E. Griffin
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There
is bound to be reaction when an over-populated country is swamped by
immigrants, but with time reactionaries will dwindle to a minority and
then as if they had never been. People are not saints, there have been and
probably will stil be injustices but integration is well under way: West
Indians find integration easier than Pakistanis because they come from a
similar culture and have no religious apartheid, most of them being of
Methodist persuasion. They have a great sense of humour and like the
Hindus and Sikhs are liberal in their outlook as they don't pass a death
sentence on those who leave their faith. Christianity has many flaws but
the kernel of its message is that we should treat others as we would treat
ourselves. In the words of an old music hall jingle:
If you can't do good don't do
any harm
Live and let live always be
your charm
'Return good for evil' is a
saying old and true
Take my tip that's the finest
thing to do
I know, you know just as well
as me
It's no use bearing animosity
So if you have an enemy, treat
him like a brother
For we're all as good, as good
as one another.
As long as there is a "them
and us" mentality there will always be conflict. In Northern Ireland,
sectarian hatred goes back hundred of years; if these cannot agree to
differ where both sides claim to be Christian, chances of agreement among
other religionists are even slimmer because they venerate different
founders and regard all unbelievers as damned to perdition. The editor of Liberty
is trying to smooth out this matter by reasonable argument. There are
other Moslems who think as he does but are afraid to speak their minds for
fear of the rabid fanatics.
It is no longer possible to
brainwash children with rigid uncompromising religious discipline as in
former times. Jeuits used to say "Give us a child until the age of
seven and it is ours for life;" this no longer holds good today when
information from T.V. and radio pours into the child's home. As the old
traditional generations pass away, the new generations will break away
from tyranny of patriarchy, let us hope that they will seek for something
better than hedonism. There are three good Moslem precepts, non-
alcoholism, the giving of alms and time given to contemplation on eternal
verities.
Every religion believes that
it has the absolute truth and that all others are in error. There is some
truth in every religion but not the whole truth otherwise they would agree
upon everything. Mystics of every religion concur about most truths but
since they live within the confines of specific religions and do not want
to refute dogma they keep much of what they know to themselves. In
addition to this, mystical experience transcends mind and as such it is
impossible to convey the greater part in any language. It would be easier
to explain colour to those blind from birth than to explain the totality
of mystical experience to those with none.
If we take the way of
aggression against heretics in the name of All Compassionate then we
blaspheme by proclaiming God as less than merciful. We may deceive
ourselves by this justification but with introspection will know that we
murder because of an affront to our egos. We can believe and hope but
unless we have transcended mortal knowledge we cannot know the will of
God. It is arrogant to proclaim that all unbelievers will be consigned to
Hell. If they do not believe as we do; it does not make them evil indeed,
there have been atheists who have lived good lives. It is good conduct
which is the ornament of humanity and guarantee of salvation, and not the
dogmatic faith which is the source of fundamentalism and hatred.
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