Terry Paul Choyce
Jan. 20, 2008, Brunswick Street United Church
Each of us have foods we like better than others. Some of us prefer to eat the same foods we grew up with. We like how they taste and they provide us with comfort, as well as nutrition. Some of us love to try out new taste sensations, with foods from different countries, with unique ingredients and spices. When we find a food we really like, we make it a part of our regular menu. Here in Halifax people now love donairs and sub sandwiches. Twenty years ago you could not buy these in Nova Scotia. Some of us now eat sushi, fajitas, sweet and sour chicken, and vegetarian lasagna. Our appreciation for international food has sky- rocketed. And this has made our lives more interesting, and I think better. And I think it has also made us more aware of what other cultures have to offer us.
I would like to draw a parallel between different cuisines and different religions. As we all know, many countries vary in how they dress, what types of homes they live in, what languages they speak, what they eat, and how they worship God. If we are to have a peaceful, healthy world, we all have to respect each others differences. It is good to understand how each of us thinks, believes, and lives. Sometimes we discover ways that are better than our own. Sometimes we gain an even deeper appreciation for what we already have. Opening ourselves to the variations of life and thought makes us better stewards of the Earth, and more loving people.
This is World Religion Day, where the churches of the world take time to learn a bit more about each other. It is like a buffet of theology, where we get to experience small morsels of different beliefs. Today I'd like to talk to you about how much religions have in common, and a bit of how they differ.
Religions tend to instruct us on how to live and how to worship God. Religions have dogmas, creeds, rituals, and rules. Usually religions are tied to cultural practices and beliefs. Religions are also big on controlling people. They often use fear of a punishing afterlife to convince people to live loving lives now. They all have sacred books and prophets, or founders. There are many differences between each religion, and even between different branches of each religion. For instance, many of the beliefs of Catholics are different than what we believe in the United Church, but we all believe in Jesus. But a huge commonality of all religions is to help find meaning and purpose in our lives. This is true for all people, everywhere. Religion helps us with our questions of "Why, when, and how?"
To help me with this sermon I used the book What is Religion by John Haught. This book gives a brief synopsis of the major religions, and snippets of their sacred writings. Haught says "Religion discerns a realm of what we shall call "mystery" looming up beyond life's limits. And in various ways it seeks to connect us to this mystery in which fulfillment is deemed possible." (P. 5)
A large percentage of the people in the world, especially in India, are Hindu's. This is perhaps the oldest of modern-day religions. They believe that each person is a part of God, and the goal of our life is to gain complete union with God when we die. To do that we must lead completely loving, compassionate lives. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? They vary from typical Christian dogma in many ways, especially in their belief in reincarnation. All our lives we are creating what they call karma. This karma is attached to our soul. If we do loving things, our karma is good, and if we do hateful things, our karma is bad. At the end of our lives our karma is judged, which is very similar to what most Christians believe happens. The Hindu's vary in that if you have not reached union with God, you will be reincarnated, to try to live a better life next time. And, the type of life you are born into, and many of the things that you will experience in your life, will be determined by your past karma. So if you kill someone and are not the least bit sorry about it, don't expect an easy, pain-free life the next time around. The Hindu's truly believe that what you sow is what you reap. Reincarnation makes a lot of sense to me, and we can have a discussion about it sometime if you'd like.
Islam was founded by Mohammed, who was born in 570 AD in Saudi Arabia. His teachings start with our Old Testament and he believed Abraham was one of his ancestors. He taught about one God, who he called Allah (In the old Old Testament God was called Yehway) He wrote a book called the Koran, and I'd like to read you this part of it:
"Allah, He is God. There is no God but He. He is the knower of the unseen and the visible. He is the All-merciful, the All-compassionate. He is God.
He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peacable, the All-faithful, the All -preserver,
the All- mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime.
He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shaper.
All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him." (P.77)
There are five pillars of Islam, which all believers are to follow. They are: faith in Allah, prayer a least five times a day, fasting during the month of Ramadan from dawn to dusk as a reminder of the plight of the poor, almsgiving to the welfare of others, and a pilgrimage to Mecca, their sacred city, once in a lifetime. There are now many different Islamic sects, just as there are different Christian churches. Islam is one of the most wide-spread religions in the world.
One of the most popular religions in Halifax is Buddhism. This religion was also started in India, by a prince named Siddhartha, who left his palace to find out why people suffered, and how to end suffering. Buddhists call God Buddha. They try to live by several precepts, and I will give you two of them, as written by one of their present day leaders, Thich Nhat Hahn, from his wonderful book, Living Buddha, Living Christ, where he draws many parallels between Buddhism and Christianity. He says "Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I vow to cultivate compassion and learn ways to protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not to kill, not to let others kill, and not to condone any act of killing in the world - in my thinking and in my way of life." He also writes "Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice, stealing, and oppression, I vow to cultivate loving - kindness and learn ways to work for the well-being if all. I vow to practice generosity by sharing my time, energy, and material resources with those who are in need...I will respect the property of others, but I will prevent others from profiting from human suffering or the suffering of other species on Earth." (P. 91 and 93)
Buddhist also believe in karma and reincarnation. Their main form of spiritual practice is meditation, where you quietly sit and clear your mind of all thoughts, to hear the word of God. It is very important to Buddhists to put what they believe into their actions, so they try to be compassionate and non-violent. It is also important for them to be mindful of the present moment, and not always focussed on the past or the future. They try to enjoy all aspects of life, and be at peace.
Our New Testament reading today was about the good Samaritan, a man who was supposed to be an enemy of the Jews. This man was extremely compassionate to the Jewish man who had been attacked. Jesus instructed us to be like the Samaritan, and to "Love your neighbour as you love yourself." (Luke 10:27) So as Christians, let us realise that all people are our neighbours, regardless of their nationality or their religion. Like foods from other cultures, religions that are different from what we are used to, may benefit us. Because the main ingredient in each of us is God.
