On Becoming a Scold

Update: please see my new post: There Are More than Three Approaches to Pluralism: Response to Tony Jones

Original post:

Over the past few weeks, our main focus has been identifying ways to reduce conflicts between religions (also here) and among co-religionists. It's not are particularly sexy topic, and the follow-up--identifying instances of intolerance wherever I found them on the web-- forced me to play a role that I really don't enjoy--calling people out for their blind spots. (Even as I am painfully aware of my own blind spots!)

In just the past couple of months we have let Rep. Virgill Goode know that his attacks on Muslims are not acceptable, criticized former Edwards blogger Amanda Marcotte, blasted former Gov. Romney for launching his campaign at the home of a notorious anti-Semite, and suggested that God's Politics blogger Tony Jones was displaying insensitivity toward LDS (Mormon) faith practices. In short the Faithful Progressive has turned into something of a scold--not the role we had ever envisioned for this blog.

In my defense, let me say that I have made every effort to be consistent. We have, after all, stood up for what we have seen as offenses against Muslims, Jews, Catholics, and Mormons--and have criticized people representing the right, left and center of the blogosphere. (Significantly, I have heard from members of all four groups, thanking us for those efforts.)

I have examined at length the historic blind spot of my own Lutheran faith tradition. Further, we have tried to set forth principles and a guide to avoiding such insensitivity. This has led to a very rich dialogue with our Buddhist friend Terrance from the Republic of T--see his brilliant post from Thursday.

We have also been guided, in our hearts at least, by the words of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel: “The religions of the world are no more self-sufficient, no more independent, no more isolated than individuals or nations. Energies, experiences and ideas that come to life outside the boundaries of a particular religion or all religions continue to challenge and to affect every religion. Horizons are wider, dangers are greater… No religion is an island! We are all involved with one another. Spiritual betrayal on the part of one of us affects the faith of all of us. Views adopted in one community have an impact on other communities. Today religious isolationism is a myth!"

Nonetheless, there is an inherent danger in adopting the role of scold, even an Interfaith Religious Tolerance Warrior Scold. The Free Dictionary defines scold as: "To reprimand or criticize harshly and usually angrily." I think perhaps I have at times been too harsh and too angry.

The recent post on Tony Jones and Mormons is a case in point. The response of many Mormons Commenters on the God's Politics site certainly confirms that I was not alone in finding the Tony Jones piece immature, insensitive and poorly informed. But I called it "bigoted."

Was it bigoted?--perhaps not. I believe that Tony was sincere in his questioning of Mormon traditions and practices. But I do not think that even sincere "honesty" justifies a member of a majority religious group sincerely but ignorantly mocking the faith practices of another tradition. (I would still call on Tony and Diana Butler Bass to apologize for their insensitive and ultimately intolerant remarks about Mormon faith practices.)And I still believe that we have to find the theological maturity and spiritual depth to accept other good faith efforts to love God. And that, in doing so, we should not presume to judge the faith practices of another tradition, nor the considered decision not to believe.

But I will also try to learn from this incident myself and judge less harshly. This post concludes our series on overcoming religious intolerance. It is probably always best to conclude this subject matter with a confession of one's own sins. In my case, they are legion.