Celebrate Diversity

I have spent many years of my life living in a city re-knowned for its celebration of diversity and respect for Sprirtual Belief Systems of all origins.. This after spending time in the wheat basket of Kansas, USA (family came thru Russia from Germany during following Catherine the Greats rein) ...

Here we have, Christian, Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Hindu, Unity, Athiest, Native American, Tibetan, Wiccan, Shamanism, Methodist, Adventis, Greek Othodox,Muslim and many others i cannot name all..

Here we do not have religious wars... others are allowed to express thier belief free of fear from attack by non-supporters..

In America, we are provided the freedom to express our religious beliefs.. part of our founding principals, and while some are more outspoken than others, we are guaranteed the right to follow our own belief systems, whether young or old, crippled or blind, rich or poor..

In America, some, as in any society, attempt to promote their individual belief system as being the only one. In broader overviews, this type thinking creates from within itself, its very own destruction, and imho, the elements of destruction for many.

It is diversity, not separation, which will bind others together in common interests, to help make our planet, our society, our human condition one which provides an atmosphere of tolerance and acceptance of others. A pot fertile for growth.

In coming years i forecast increases in population, resulting in more crowding and congestion, as Earth continues her natural cycles of change, weather patterns and natural disasters will continue to alter shorelines and boundaries..

Some will provide for themselves and regretfully close doors to others... some will provide and care for those who need..

How quickly this will happen depends upon our Maker.. sadly, i fear a closing of doors will contribute further hardships to those in need...

Can we open the door to acceptance of other Faiths? Or close it with eyes cast downward in self-righteousness? Do we contribute to fear and mis-understandings, further sepearations? Or would we prefer kindness and peace?

Will the door be closed to those who close their own doors in their time of need?

It is Christmas time the world over... celebrate Peace, Love, Strength and Diversity... the truest spirit of the day..

and please... i will do the best i can to keep my door open, would you please do the same?

I would like to hear others experiences with "closed doors". For myself, once while traaveling, i found myself in Valentine Nebraska. Beautiful place, Niobrara River nearby, sandcranes, the ghosts of Custer, trains and rolling sandhills...

My car broke down there and i was penniless. I searched the town for helpful folk. A few came forward in my time of need.ust ordinary citizens.

Because Rosebud Indian Reservation is nearby, the families would come to town shopping and such... one little band came to seek doanations from passers through...

The town people were not so friendly always. Not welcoming the natives into their establishments (and this is less than 5 years ago), some even saying the natives were too dirty, and unfit..

I befriended this group. I empathized with their history and experiences. I felt somehow responsible (though its impossible that i am) and i wanted to do something to help.

Well, they surprised me. One day, the car needed to be moved. I needed help.

No one around, but then, around the corner, came one of the members of the outcast group. Without asking, without a statement, she walked towards my car and began to push. Within a few minutes the problem was solved. The girl later told me she loved me, though she had a lesbian girlfriend.

During this same time i had approached the town minister. He wasnt at church, but asking around, i found his home and visited there instead. WHen i explained my situation and offeres to return any kindness for the initial help, i was told, those services were not provided to non-members.

Now i would ask... what message should i construe from this experience?

In Santa Fe, I attended a homeless shelter operated by the local Catholic Church.. Food, shelyer, clothing and laundry, showers and other services were provided to any who requested.. with one catch... the recipient was required to provide a social securitu number in advance of usinf the more "special" services, like the showers...

The padre was kind and giving to all... he would give sermons in his spansih accent that literally made tears roll down my cheeks...

One day i asked him if i could join his organization.. he asked what my faith consisted of..

At that time, the best explanation i could give was that it blended with several belief systems... his answer? Only those who follow Christ will see the Glory of Heaven, and that ANY other belief was the Devil ...

This shocked me... i wanted to help, but, apparantly...

separation was his method... ?????

I've had similar experiences. I feel the same way you do about diversity. It's not necessary to give up who we are in order to be united as human beings.

The Christian religion makes me nervous because they claim to love their neighbors, but really only love their Christian neighbors and others willing to convert to Christianity. I would never be welcome in any of their buildings. I'm afraid when push comes to shove, they will commit the same crimes as in the past - then try to justify it as God's will. Religious wars have nothing to do with God or "peace." It's purely political - about money and human power/control over land and people.

What I don't understand is how they can justify going against their Ten Commandments, in particular - "Thou Shalt Not Lie" "Thou Shalt Not Steal" and "Thou Shalt Not Murder." IMO, a Commandment is more than a Suggestion.

I'm not trying to be confrontational with this post. I'm just very concerned because I've seen more aggression in my Christian neighbors over the last few years. I find it strange that our local church now plays only two songs over their loudspeakers: "Onward Christian Soldiers" and "Battle Hymn of the Republic." I suspect it's because we have more Muslim neighbors living in the community. From here, the church music almost sounds threatening. Can't imagine how it would make my Muslim neighbors feel. I wonder if Jesus would recommend this type of psychological warfare against me and other non-Christian neighbors.

both excellent posts.....sometimes I have been uneasy posting in this forum as I was never raised in a religeous household, never christened....I have my own beliefs....I pray to God.....in my own way...my daughter is pagan, my hubby methodist...my son doesn't believe......my kids are wonderful human beings...kind, considerate, does this mean they are sinners because they dont conform to chrisianity? in the 'way' some do?

I will post my thoughts and feelings here from now on.....imho I believe God would want us toexpress ourselves freely and not fight over others opinions....

Jinny xx

i have beliefs that christians would consider wrong. i'm not talking about evil beliefs. i'm talking about diversity. i even believe that people of different faiths are all welcome, including controversial ones (like gays/lesbians, etc.).

This topic has all the potential to cross guidelines and feel threatening to many members here. I know that some groups have hard feelings towards others that they perceive as not accepting them. No matter whether you are a Christian or identify otherwise, please remember that however we classify people, each person is an individual, and may live up to the stated ideals of the groups they belong to, or may not. Some rise far above the standards of the group or reputation that the group may have.

The key, when recognizing diversity, is to appreciate the good and the benefit that comes from all different kinds of people from all kinds of places, cultures, religions, and experiences. The world would be a boring place if we were all the same. We can all learn so much from each other, and that is because we have different backgrounds and experiences.

Also, it always comes down to that we are more alike than we are different. When we sit down and get to know each other, we will find that I like chocolate and you like chocolate, or we both have some of the same frustrations with our children, or we all crave love and approval.

Be careful about generalizations. Whether you're talking about a minority group or a majority group doesn't matter. If you say that Christians are unaccepting of others, that is the same thing as saying that natives are dirty or pagans are evil. All of those statements are stereotypes and they are not fair.

Some Christians break commandments. So do non-Christians sometimes fail to live up to their values and ideals. Christianity does not justify that breaking commandments is acceptable, but recognizes that individuals in this life are not perfect.

Some groups have values and beliefs that conflict with those of other groups (or individuals). We can make an issue of it, or we can treat everybody with respect, even with awareness of our differences. We are all human.

(I used the quick reply feature, and these comments are not directed towards any one person).

Rapunzel

Jos 24:15 And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that [were] on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Because...

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him (doubting Thomas, the apostle), I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

whoever said it was evil to serve the lord?.....we chose to serve in many ways.....there are many ways to serve the lord......

diversity..........

jin

thank you Rapunzel...

Sky, i gotta say i can see why you did take some part personally... i am sorry...

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD,

oh silly me........

thought for a moment you were critisizing people who don't agree with your beliefs....so sorry

jin

Remember also the parable of the good Samaritan. Jesus told it to listeners who were Jews, and who believed that they were better than the Samaritans, who were only part Jew and mixed with other peoples in the area who worshiped other gods. Well, in case anybody doesn't know the story, a man was beaten by thieves and left for dead in the road. Jews in positions of high authority and responsibility crossed to the other side of the street and couldn't be bothered to help. But a Samaritan came by, helped the man, took him to an inn, and paid for the man to receive further care, promising to return and take care of anything else that might be needed.

Some Christians (or this could apply to any group) may be like the Jews who crossed to the other side of the street. But Jesus taught that we should be like the Samaritan, even if it isn't really our job. We should give help and assistance when we can, no matter who we are. That is a Christian belief. Some Christians live up to it. My church, which is international, gives to people all over the world. Many of those people are not Christian. If you were a stranger in town and asked for help, we would help, and you don't have to be a member. I can only hope that I, individually, would live up to that standard when it comes down to being called upon when I am busy with other things. I might not be as available for church service as I would like, but I would like to think that the time that I spend here online is also service and counts for something.

The issue of salvation and requiring people to believe in God, or to believe in Him in a specific way in order to enter in to Heaven is really a separate one. Yes, some believe that their way is the only way, and they are eager to share what they believe is truth with people they care about and anyone who will listen. That isn't exclusionary - it is an attempt to share something they believe is essential, because they believe it is necessary. I also believe that there are essential keys that we must have in order to progress to the highest levels. I believe that I should share my beliefs with others, because they are precious to me and because I care. But if anyone doesn't want to hear that message or isn't ready, I don't care about them any less and will not turn away from them. That we continue to care and to be good neighbors is also taught, although some people make the mistake of being to focused on finding someone who might convert.

One aspect of diversity is that some of us believe in absolute truth, and some believe that you can create your own reality. Both views have some merit. We need to accept that we are not going to all agree on everything.

you are right rapunzel.....thankyou Love, Jin xxxx

Again, using quick reply and not directed to one specific person. Posts criticizing others' posting or discussing whether it was supportive or not have been removed from this thread. I feel that we can talk about diversity in this forum, however, as I mentioned before, celebrating diversity means appreciating our differences, not critizing any group directly or indirectly. We can praise difference and strengths without putting anyone else down.

thank you Rapunzel.. in further considerations, i would like to change the focus of the questioning from "closed doors" to those "opened" ...

I make it a point to celebrate diversity everyday in everyone whether by race, religion, or creed. All of us on this earth are created to be different for a purpose. Different/diverse people make all of us so much more interesting. I choose to accept and love all unconditionally. When I slip against my beliefs, I say an affirmation forgiving myself for what I had committed against what I endeavor to practice.

As a side note, even the "imperfections" in people create interest and in a certain way make us all "perfect" but certainly not according to the dictionary meaning. If we were all alike, I would think that life would lack the spice and meaning that it has.

Thank You for the Post, NoWheretoRun

Namaste
Peacemaker

I like the focus on opened doors much better, and hope that we can open some doors here and come to a higher level of understanding and appreciation for each other. Let's keep celebration positive, shall we?

there is a Hari Krishna society in the town i live.. my cousin, mother of two, attends, makes aquaintenances who sometimes become friends and it is a supportive network of those who believe in sharing and caring for each other.. ive never really attended the meetings myself, i'm aware they provide free, nutricious food for any asking, shelter, other services an individual may find themselves in need of at different times and for different reasons.. yes, Hari Krishna...

i was practicing my art work in Santa Fe.. lived in my car at the time, worked odd labor, struggled to get by..

went to a mothel there, the maintenance manager saw me and the works i was presently presenting.. approached me and offered a free breakfast.. following that, he took me to his ranchlands... quite beautiful as you can imagine... there, i performed some cleanup.. the man paid me handsomly and gave me a choice of gifts.. i chose a cow hide he was going to add to the rubbish pile...

i carried the cowhide for about a year... never knowing exactly how to use it... a short time later, i found myself in another area, among total strangers...

one aquaintenance was an artist herself and worked with leather... i gave her the piece to make a cowboy costume, child size...

my point is, poeple do help each other, regardless of religions or beliefs.. some simply have it in their hearts to be kind... thnk God for them...

thank you for your compliments Peacemaker...

What a beautiful story.... as was your original post.

There is so much beauty and diversity in this world and I agree, we should try and celebrate it as much as possible.

DocJohn

Thank You Doc John... giving all my best to You and Yours.. and if ive failed to say so, Thanks to Everyone...

After reading these posts I am not sure if I am suppose to talk about my disappointments in dealing with other people or my joys. On thing I agree on is we should show friendship, love and concern for all people regardless of how different they are from us. So in saying that I will share some of my experiences.
When I was much younger I came to visit a friend in Florida. Although, I was a northern, a snow bird, LOL; I was treated well everywhere I went. While visiting a car broke down in front of the home in which I stayed along Alligator Alley, better known now as !-75. We invited the people into our home. It was such a blessing as the people were missionaries on there way to the Miami airport. While the men fixed the tire, we prepared a meal and visited. It was hard to have them leave as we became instant friends.
A few years later, I married and moved to Florida, and soon found out living with the in-laws was not going to work. We set about looking for a home to buy, but then had the long time of waiting for the loan to go through. In the meantime things became worse and I was forced to find another place to live to maintain my sanity. So I went to a church, that I had not ever attended and ask for help. This kind pastor, refer me to another pastor, who helped me find a place to live until we got our house. The people of whom I stayed with gave me free room and board. I insisted on doing odd jobs for them as thanks for letting me stay there. The home was huge, I was given 1/2 of the side of the home to stay in. The people were so wonderful, to me a stranger they had never met.
So I would not label all Christians as uncaring, most are very loving and kind to everyone they meet. They are bad apples in every basket, but not all are bad.
Then I had a experience that hurt me quite deeply. I was attending a church who's customs and beliefs were not quite the same as I grew up with, but it was refreshing and interesting to see and do different things of faith. I had been going for a year and thought I had many friends there, but when I ask about joining the church, I was told the Bishop had to give his ok, and he was coming soon. So I waiting and tried to help and be a part of all that was going on. Then I was told the minister had forgotten to ask him. In the meantime three other people joined the church. The next year I ask again. About this time four others wanted to join as well. The next week went I went to church these four people were being congratulated for becoming members of the church. I sat in shocked silence. Later I ask the minister why I was not called, and he said he had forgotten all about me in the rush, as the Bishop had come unexpectly. Needless to say my heart was broken.
However, good things come to those who wait. I stopped going to that church and started attending a smaller church in town. I was accepted right away. I attend church and Sunday school. I have helped with vacation Bible study and am very glad now that I did not become a member of that other church. I heard later that the other church only wanted members with lots of money.

1oxbow, what im hearing is a snapshot of what you said yourself... some good, some not so good experiences..

in town where i live, the churches assist with meals for homeless.. provide clothing and emergency services for families ... and one can always seek spiritual counseling...

my experiences have shown me that an atmosphere of good creates good... and the bad apples? is that where the politics enter?

this cant become a political debate.. its about faith and diversity imo...

KathyM ... i hope that peace will come to you... it does sound frightening and threatening...