t*******d
发帖数: 2570 | 1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-mcswain/god-in-america-the-pbs-sp_b_757098.html
God in America: The PBS Special and a Conversation With Stephen Prothero
"God is dead," said Nietzsche. Well, maybe somewhere, but not here, as the
PBS special, God in America makes abundantly clear.
I recently interviewed the chief editorial consultant to this PBS special,
airing this week, Dr. Stephen Prothero. As the distinguished professor of
religion at Boston University, his research and books have been widely read
and respected, and perhaps none more so than Religious Literacy. When I
asked him about the point of the television series, Prothero responded, "To
entertain, of course. But, more importantly, to educate on the role God has
played in American history."
Given the recent survey that revealed that Atheists outperformed Protestants
on their knowledge of major world religions, including Christianity, more
education can only be a good thing. The cynic in me realizes that weary
churchgoers might very well opt for Dancing with the Stars or The Biggest
Loser this week instead of God in America -- but hopefully they'll join me
in watching.
According to the PBS special, not only is God in America, but God, or belief
in God, is woven into the very fabric of American culture and politics. So
much so, observes Prothero, "we are no longer a country of two political
parties but two political-religious parties." So, in this, the Pope must be
wrong, unless his recent remarks about the marginalization of religion were
meant to apply only to England or Europe. God is not becoming more
marginalized in America. If anything, it is the various religions, and their
followers, that are marginalizing themselves and none more so than
Christians, Jews and Muslims.
The irony is this: America is religiously diverse. In Prothero's words, "In
the supermarket of religion, America has a bigger store." It's the Walmart
of religion. Instead of a strength, however, embraced by Americans as a
distinction worth celebrating, many religious people in America are
threatened by it, even react against it. But, in the words of the Hans Kung,
"There will be no peace until there is peace among the religions." Nor will
there be peace in America. While most Americans believe in God and regard
themselves as spiritual people, my own feeling is millions of them are
abandoning organized religion precisely because, instead of embracing and
cultivating the diversity that is America, the major religions want to
homogenize everyone and everything. It is this that causes division, even
human destruction. What is supposed to bring sanity to this world is itself
the cause of most insanity. It is madness.
If there's any one thing that's certain, God in America is a diverse God.
And, if this experiment we affectionately call "America" is to survive, this
diversity must remain. It cannot be otherwise. We've always had, in
Prothero's words, "a prejudice against atheism." Yet, the atheist has a home
in America. To others, God will be a Cosmic Intelligence. To still others,
Messiah, or Savior, or Allah, or Yahweh, or Higher Power, and, yes, even a
Democrat, a Republican, a Socialist, and, perhaps now, a Tea Party
Independent.
Stephen Prothero is right: "What this country needs more than anything else
is religious conversation that is civil and informed." But, listen to many
religious leaders, and most conversation is neither civil nor informed. To
make statements, for example, as did Albert Mohler, president of Southern
Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, that "yoga" -- and, by implication,
religions like Hinduism and Buddhism --"is a threat to Christianity," is not
only hurtful, but damaging. The bigger threat to all religions, including
Christianity, is the madness of such remarks.
Should religious diversity be something to fear? Not at all. Rather, it is a
cause for celebration, and as a very religious person myself I see this
point in America history as a momentous opportunity for dialogue, discussion
and bridge-building. |
|
