Can we Coexist? By Rev. Brad Just take one look around and you will see that there is a great battle in our culture. A battle some say is between the forces of good and evil. Though there is nothing new about this epic saga or east vs. west; right vs. wrong, in our modern culture of 24/7 news and media the battle is much more visible and broader than ever before. You may have seen the Coexist bumper stickers as you are driving around town. Is this “project/movement” really possible? According to its foundation’s Facebook page, “The Coexist Foundation is a charity established in 2006 to promote better understanding between Jews, Christians and Muslims – the Abrahamic Faiths – through education, dialogue and research. Through the projects and programmes which we support, we hope to help people of these faiths improve their relations – above all with each other, but also with different faiths, and with those of no faith.” At face value this seems like a worthy and great cause; one which desires to explore the mere possibility of living in peaceful harmony with those around us of different faiths. But aren’t our faiths diametrically opposed to each other? Without getting into too much detail: Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah, Jews believe we are still waiting for the Messiah, and Islam holds to the belief that the savior of the world will come and establish Islam over all other religions on earth before the end. To some this might seem like semantics, but at the core of each faith these beliefs hold fundamentally different ideas on how one should relate to everyone else. For example, followers of Christ believe that He is the only way to God and salvation comes by no other way but belief in Him. Jesus himself claimed, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life” – John 14:6; The Bible. So how do the founders of Coexist deal with these fundamental issues? According to the foundations website, their Philosophy is: “What is it that makes Coexist distinctive among others working to promote better understanding between faiths? Firstly, while we recognize and celebrate the many connections between the Abrahamic faiths, we also acknowledge their differences and distinctiveness. We believe we learn more about ourselves and our own traditions by looking respectfully at others’. So Coexist is not just about good relations: it is also about exploring our own convictions and beliefs. Secondly, Coexist is focused on action, not words. The programmes we support aim to make a difference – not just to immediate issues and relationships, but for the long-term. Finally, all our work is done in partnership. We believe in finding the best organizations and people to deliver our objectives around the world. Our global network increases the impact of initiatives which we hope will transform cultural and religious understanding around the world.” For non-observant believers of any faith, this is very doable. But to those who hold holy the traditions and foundations of their faith this “project/movement” is nothing but pure evil. A Pastor in town who unfortunately wished to remain anonymous, said, “Coexist is nothing more than a plan of ‘the enemy’ to distract and pull down; to steal, kill and destroy, the faith of every Christian as these end times near.” One thing is clear as we in this nation struggle with faith relations, opinions are very heated on every side. As you discuss this with your family, friends and coworkers, I only encourage you to be respectful yet hold strong to your faith. Parents should tell their children what they believe and educate them on the fundamental differences between faiths, remembering all the while the love Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-8; The Bible).
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:04:34 +0000
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