There is a disturbing trope circulating online portraying Christians as a “silent majority” who are suffering persecutions in the United States. The sentiments expressed do not reflect the teaching of Jesus found in the Christian scriptures, and simultaneously bring pain and suffering to people of other faiths.
The recurring motif claims that when Christians are not allowed to have a Christian prayer during a public event, they are being denied the opportunity to express their faith.
As people of faith, we celebrate the desire to connect with the Divine. We do not wish to restrict anyone else’s ability to relate to the Divine. And we want, without a doubt, for the world to be a peaceful place with respect for all human beings and for the way in which they approach their highest ideals. For this reason, we felt compelled to respond to this trope and support all who have been harmed by its sentiments. Advocating for public prayer outside the context of worship implies priority on the teachings of one faith community over others, which leads to division, and threatens the religious liberty promised in our country that was established to ensure religious freedom for all individuals and faiths.
When a Christian prayer of any length is said before a ball game, those of us of other faiths immediately feel excluded from that occasion. Our traditions and our worldview seem not to have a place, and we become “the other,” the one that doesn’t belong. We imagine that people who do not have a belief would also feel that their worldview was not being respected. The sadness provoked by the feeling of otherness will invariably create a division between people based on their relationship (or lack thereof) to the Divine. Divisiveness impoverishes any community, fraying the delicate fabric of society, creating an artificial imbalance between people who belong and people who do not. Undoubtedly, no one with God in their hearts and minds would feel good about creating divisions and bringing pain and hurt to other human beings.
When Jesus taught about prayer, he made it clear that his disciples were not to emulate those who pray “so that they may be seen by others.” (Matthew 6:5-6) Advocating for public displays of Christian prayer reflects a desire for public performance of faith that Jesus spoke against. It is hypocritical to advocate for praying in the name of Jesus in a way that goes against Jesus’ own teaching on prayer.
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke each recount a variation of Jesus’ teaching that the greatest commandments are to “Love God” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In the account recorded in Luke, Jesus is asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answers with the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). In this the two public religious figures are not the ones who show love to their neighbor. Instead, Jesus told a story that lifted up a Samaritan as the one who embodied love for neighbor. Given the cultural divisions of the day it was unexpected that Jesus would choose to name a person from Samaria as the one who embodied love for a neighbor and the model for how we are to follow God. To be a good neighbor is at the core of following the teachings of Jesus. How is sharing this disturbing trope being a good neighbor?
We all wish to live in a world where the common good is highly valued, and differences are celebrated because they enrich our lives. When all traditions are respected in the public arena, our society is strengthened, there is more kindness and serenity in our country, and more possibilities for peace, love, and contentment. As people of faith, we trust that this is what God requires of us, based on the prophet Micah (Chapter 6, verse 8): “God has clearly shown you, O human being, what is good and what the Eternal requires of you—to act with justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” We hope that people of faith everywhere will walk humbly with the Divine, ensuring a good society based on justice, love, and inclusion.
Grace and Peace,
Reverend Sarah Harrison-McQueen | Central United Methodist Church of Arlington
Rabbi Lia Bass | JILLI, Founder and Spiritual Leader