Night Rumination on 9/11

In a few minutes I’m off to the Boston area to co-lead a one day Zen meditation retreat.

As of this moment the pastor in Florida has not yet burned any Korans. Of course, if the intent was to inflame the majority Muslim populace from Lebanon to Afghanistan, the work has been done. In addition to that foment the great roil around the proposed Islamic center/mosque a couple of blocks from the site of the 9/11 attacks continues. Thanks to some who seem to seek short term political advantage at any cost, and this appears to start with operatives of the right wing of the Republican party, there has been some sort of link set up between the Florida event and that in Manhattan. To not put too fine a point on it, a nasty religious bigot’s plan to burn someone else’s holy book and a well-meaning if not politically astute religious leader’s attempt to construct a center for spiritual inquiry and practice, dedicated to dialogue and peace have been joined by Sarah Palin and others.

No good is going to come from this.

The poison is flowing…

Here’s where I’m coming from. In the last analysis I’m not a fan of any of the three Abrahamic faiths. I don’t believe in their gods, whether they’re the same under different names or three different deities. I don’t believe in their heavens. I don’t believe in their hells. Certainly not in the literal uses of those words.

And, as is said in the Christian scriptures, the spirit lists where it will.

Over the years I’ve found great wisdom within the teachings of all three faiths.

And I count some among their numbers as important guides to me along my own way, theologians and mystics.

The bottom line is that I’ve found our culture’s vaunted religious pluralism enormously important. And I think it a key to any possible path to a peaceful and united world.

And on this anniversary of 9/11, I am fearful of how fragile that project is.

I thought the second Bush presidency rather worse than a failure. Mr Bush made catastrophic decisions, that we are paying for now, and will continue to pay for, for a long time to come.

But the one sword he tried to keep sheathed was that of religiously inspired war.

It is beginning to look like he failed there, as well.

I hope everyone can take a deep breath, clear the cobwebs, and begin to try and find a way through.

I’m doing my part by throwing myself full-heartedly into today’s retreat.

And tomorrow I will step out into the world and try to bring a little sense of balance to my corner, reminding myself and us that we really are all in the same boat.

I wish us all luck, sailing on this tiny blue boat home through the dark night…

My faith