
Paul Bloom.
“Faith Matters” is a column that features pieces written by local religious figures.
These are dark times. But then, a faith leader should not start a presentation with a negative. That said, the truth of the present moment is just the truth.
When we look at Ukraine, Israel/Palestine, Syria, the actions of the U.S. president, and more — dark times. So then, the burning question is: What can we do, what are the best actions to be taken, in order to wrestle with the problematic events that confront us and to move them forward in a positive way?
Generally, this kind of action is not thought of as a religious/spiritual question or mission. But in the end it is just that. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi were central teachers for me, two shining lights for all of us. World religions generally consider all human beings to be brothers and sisters. If we are all brothers and sisters, then I need to find ways to treat my neighbors thoughtfully and with some degree of compassion. And this attitude extends beyond my neighborhood and my city, it is a very wide engagement.
Each spiritual/religious path has its own particular way of engaging this issue. In the Buddhist tradition it is a central teaching named The Four Noble Truths, one of the earliest teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha. A summary of this teaching is:
• To be alive, conscious and human means that we inevitably encounter situations that are difficult and negative.
• These situations develop because of anger, desire and an absence of understanding on the part of those who have promoted them.
• These situations, as with all situations and events, will eventually disperse of their own accord — but, for example, in the case of a massive attack by an aggressive enemy, allowing that to happen may not be the best way forward.
• So there is another more proactive path: strengthen your formal spiritual/religious practice and support that practice on a daily basis with an engagement of day-to-day activities that are rooted in clear vision and compassion.
That’s the Buddhist perception of how to engage the negatives and violence of the world that confronts us. It is helpful to note that this style of engagement is usually directed towards personal everyday events. But if we open the newspaper or turn on the TV and crash into all the global negatives confronting us today, what are we to do? Same path: strengthen formal practice while actively pursuing clear vision and compassion in order to reveal appropriate engagements.
What does this mean in detail with regard to the particular events that confront us today? It does not mean that our efforts will absolutely end the wars and international struggles which confront us, and it does not mean that we will teach Donald Trump how to be compassionate rather than self-interested. But there are steps to be taken, and this style of engagement most certainly will move people and events in a positive direction. Problems and tragedies often appear on a national or global scale, and when they do, we can join hands with others to move these events in a different and positive direction. This is like engaging your neighbor with clarity and compassion when he is acting inappropriately and negatively, rather than grabbing your shovel hitting him back side of the head.
The nation and the globe are not our immediate neighbors, but the style of positive engagement with them is the same. Killing won’t stop killing; killing won’t survive love.
Paul Bloom was trained as a masters degree architect, studied Zen with Zen Master Seung Sahn for 20 years, is currently the abbot of the New Haven Zen Center and a member of the City of New Haven Peace Commission.
Previous“Faith Matters” columns:
• Faith Matters: Faith Over Fear
• Faith Matters: Scar Glory
• Faith (Still) Matters
• Faith Matters: Gaza & Ramadan
• Faith Matters: On Passover & Redemption
• Faith Matters: Freedom Struggles & Holy Week
• Faith Matters: Welcome The Stranger
• Faith Matters: Beyond Neutrality
• Faith Matters: The Lightened Yoke Is Love