I am a former priest and now one of the “nones” Michael Gerson cited in his March 29 op-ed column, Polarized by religion,” as having no formal religious affiliation.
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After 20 good years among the Jesuits, I departed long ago in
the embrace of a new, yet very old, awareness that love is at the heart
of all religion and religious experience. At the same time, I am not one
of the “militant skeptics” that Mr. Gerson described. If we abide in
love, then we do not adopt a judgmental stance toward others, including
those who still embrace what we ourselves may have left behind. We take a
more humble approach, recognizing that our former communities made us
who we are today.
My long, silent retreats in the Jesuit Order produced consciousness-expanding experiences that continue to shape and define who I am. These, in turn, were part of the great gift of Roman Catholicism to the West, the preservation of the writings of the great mystics.Just as wisdom advises respect for what has shaped us, it also opens us to the great wealth contained in spiritual paths previously unexplored and in our own inner authority.
William H. O’Brien, Shepherdstown, W.Va.
The writer is director of the Nathaniel Center for Spiritual Growth .
1 comment:
Mr Gerson makes a valid observation. Many religious people align with the Republican party - often because they believe that the Republican positions on abortion, marriage, and individual freedoms are somehow better aligned with God's values.
And, to some extent, they are correct.
But to some extent, they are wrong. God considers each individual and each situation. And God often defers to the values of each particular individual. Just look at the world we live in - a world permeated with suffering, strife, and evil. Those are not God's values. Yet, He allows this to exist. Why?
I recently read that God's values might be better described as values that recognize community values. While incomplete, that is very accurate.
The real mistake is made by those who think that we know God's values. When God's value is to recognize community values, then God's unchanging value will seem to "change" with evolving community values.
It is unfortunate that I even have to write this comment. The societal positions on abortion, marriage, and individual freedom are very unimportant. In thinking that we know God's values we misunderstand important values like humility and love.
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