Roll Up Your Sleeves

“My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”

-His Holiness, The Dalai Lama

I’m not a joiner, but I am a believer.  I believe that, if there is a greater power, it’s too grand for any mortal to define. I kinda believe in everything because what the heck do I know?  Heaven and hell, perhaps.  Reincarnation, I hope so.  A simple return to dust, just plant me in a place that needs a little fertilizer.  

Those of any faith who slap a hand on a book and purport to speak for their god, strike me as deeply disrespectful of the divine.

I tend my spirit but feel no allegiance with a particular faith or denomination--although I might be a little bit Buddhist.  To me, faith is a private matter, something to share within one’s intimate circle or with nobody at all.  When a stranger is rude enough to ask if I’m a Christian, I ask how much they weigh. 

I feel just terrible for the poor Mormon kids who are sent out to knock on the doors of strangers, in a miserable attempt at ministry.  Instead of wandering, unneeded and unwanted in the suburban heat, these strong young people could be building a school, distributing food, teaching people to read.

Religious groups who send followers to a poor country just to preach and convert display a special kind of entitlement.  How can anyone condescend without pitching in?  What if, instead, they pooled the airfare costs and donated to folks who actually live their faith by rolling up their sleeves.

As they say, going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.

I’m bemused when religious communities lift up sport outcomes in prayer. When the Supreme Court ruled on a case involving a coach who got his team to pray on the field, I understood that the issue was separation of church and state, but all I could think about was the absurd notion that any deity would be concerned with the outcome of a football game.

Religion can be a wall we hide behind, a club we belong to that’s just a teeny bit better than other clubs, or a club we wield. Like political party affiliations, it’s too often an excuse to turn away from honestly considering difficult subjects and, instead, simply hold the party line.

And yet, I have seen the enormous good done by true believers, no matter the tribe—by those who proselytize less and get their hands dirty more, just doing what needs to be done. They live their faith through action, which, we all know, speaks louder than words.