Compassion for those who disagree with us.

Last edited Wed Feb 21, 2018, 11:33 AM - Edit history (1)

This is written from a progressive Christian perspective.

Most of us here are probably familiar with Sam Harris, a high profile and controversial atheist. I saw a quote here the other day that got me thinking about him and all of the arguments people have here over religion. I had heard that Harris thought that Islam was a particularly bad religion, much worse than most others, and actually advocated for wars in the Middle East, his hatred for Muslims was so vitriolic. And I had heard that from more than one source. I decided to look into it and get Sam's side of the story.

It looks to me that Harris has been unfairly maligned and defamed on this issue. While he does think that Islam is one of the world's worst religions, I haven't found anything that suggests that he wishes the people of the Muslim faith violence. It appears that he wants a peaceful resolution to our difficulties in the Middle East. But Harris has been cast as a bigot and an Islamaphobe, mostly by his fellow liberals, and it appears that the label still dogs him.

I had heard from someone that Harris has a body guard due to threats on his life. I wasn't able to find anything on that other than him using security at his speaking engagements. I was able to confirm that Harris is heavily armed at his home with guns stashed strategically throughout his house.

That isn't right. First of all, people should not misrepresent the ideas of other people. In Harris's case it has resulted in him apparently living in perpetual fear. Let me repeat, people misrepresenting the ideas of other people can have dire consequences. In the case of Harris it has resulted in death threats. When we are reading the ideas of people we disagree with it is important to understand them the best we can and not attribute anything to them that isn't there. But I see people doing the opposite all over the place. It's common practice on message boards involving debate to twist another person's words to try to make it appear that they are saying something that they are not. I see it all the time in the media as well. People see a sound bite and then jump to all sorts of conclusions without knowing the full story. If a correction is attempted it often falls on deaf ears. The damage is already done. An innocent person has been maligned and defamed.

I do not agree with Harris at all regarding spiritual matters, and that disagreement does not come without giving him a fair hearing. I've read his book Free Will, seen him in several interviews, and read some of his stuff online. But I'm not about to try to make it appear that he believes something that he doesn't really believe or has never said that he believes. As people of faith we all know how that feels. It's terribly frustrating and can be infuriating if we are not careful to keep our emotions in check. For this reason I don't write about my faith much online and usually don't engage in trying to defend it, although I will chime in here and there with what I hope are thought provoking ideas that I don't think are antagonistic. Now I'm going to offer a little prayer that I looked up for those we disagree with and one for compassion.

Lord Jesus, we earnestly pray that we cast out hatred and love those who have been difficult in our lives. We pray to forgive those who have terribly hurt us in the past. May we readily accept their apology and be one who practices Your agape love to everyone.

https://christianstt.com/a-prayer-to-love-our-enemies/

Prayer for Compassion

By Elizabeth Tarbox

Spirit of Life, I give thanks for the opportunities to love

that present themselves in the turmoil of life.

When the light catches the tears in another's eyes,

where hands are held and there are moments without

words, let us be present then, and alive to the possibility

of changing. Let us seek to make another's wellbeing

the object of our concern. Let us seek to be

present to another's pain, to bathe another's wounds,

hear another's sadness, celebrate another's success, and

allow the other's story to change our own.

Let us stand in the morning on damp grass, hear the

syllables of bird song, and fill up on sweet air that rolls

over oceans and continents. Let us look up at the stars

and the planets that fill the night sky with majesty. Let

us witness the first fresh buds of spring amid the brown

sticks of winter. And for all this, let us be grateful.

Let us not defend ourselves against the discomfort of

unruly emotion, nor seek to close down our hearts for

fear a new love will come to shake our foundations. Let

us instead be open to discovering a new way of seeing an

old problem, or appreciating the perfection of a seashell,

or the possibility of friendship. For in giving ourselves to

what we do not understand, we receive life's blessings, and

in taking care of another, we are cared for.

https://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/youth/virtueethics/workshop7/handout1-prayer-compassion