Open Minds

Integrity In Belief

Jul 18, 2005

Saying For Today: Indeed, what we believe will determine to what extent we can be open-hearted and welcoming to others, especially those who appear to differ much with us.

A Sufi story tells of a woman speaking to another woman. The first woman says, “Poor Maisie really has suffered for what she believes in." "And what, asked the second woman, does she believe in?" "She believes that you can wear a size six shoe on a size nine foot."

Belief itself has no inherent value. And, even as persons in matters generally can cling to the most outdated and nonsensical beliefs, such is the case in religion. Why? For many humans are more interested in certainty than Truth, more desirous for comfort than difficulty, and feel more need for company than integrity. Indeed, many persons will claim they do not lie, while they parrot beliefs they have never thoroughly examined or will reject the first person that challenges them to think otherwise.

Much suffering comes from trying to hold life in views that are unrealistic, regardless of how they are considered right, traditional, and sacred. Trying to keep fitting the largeness of life into limiting beliefs that we once held dear is like “Poor Maisie” believing that “you can wear a size six shoe on a size nine foot.”

The United Methodist Church has a program of hospitality. Its theme is “Open Heart, Open Minds, Open Doors.” This communion, whom I serve, is seeking to send forth this positive message. However, we in the United Methodist Church face the same challenges regarding belief that other religious communions face. Talk about being “Open Minds” is one thing, being “Open Minds” is a whole other matter. And, as a pastor who seeks to challenge persons to examine their beliefs, I know how resistant well-meaning Christians can be to being open-minded persons. I, likewise, know how my beliefs being challenged has created resistance in me, at times.

There is a Prayer from Kenya, found in the United Methodist Hymnal, no. 597, 1989, which sets forth a prayer for those who are seeking Truth:

From the cowardice that dares not face new truth,
From the laziness that is contented with half-truth,
From the arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Good Lord, deliver me. Amen.

There we see three words associated with the close-mindedness: cowardice, laziness, arrogance. And, persons who refuse to examine their beliefs and change, usually, would never entertain that they are acting cowardly, lazy, and arrogant. But, huddling under trite clichés and quoting a few favorite Bible passages is not a cover-up for lack of integrity and courage in pursuit of Truth.

However, another word is associated with not being open to examine our beliefs. That word is ignorance. I mean by this that often we believe something for we know of no viable option. We all have such beliefs, likely. However, we are responsible to open even those beliefs to examination and be willing to consider different ways of seeing things. And, if we are open to Truth, we can trust that God will bring persons and circumstances into our lives to challenge beliefs that we have maintained in simple ignorance of alternative ways of seeing matters.

However, inexcusable is the double-mindedness that claims all Truth comes from God, while privatizing and relegating Truth to a particular group or way of seeing matters. To reduce Truth to “my truth” or “our truth” is a disservice to Truth and a denial of integrity, even when such a position is maintained with religious conviction. Conviction, even deep conviction, does not equal Truth. And, since most of my readers are Christian, I need to say that what I am writing applies as much to the Christian as to the Muslim, the Buddhist, the Hindu, … No one is excused to hide from Truth behind the avowals of his or her faith. Truth is truth, and attaching Christian or Muslim or Buddhist or secular or sacred to it does not make it Truth. Neither, attaching such adjectives to a claim does not make an untruth or half-truth the whole Truth. To use religion or God to be close-minded is being small-minded and living afraid, rather than letting faith lead us to remain open in our pursuit of understanding.

Therefore, returning to the opening story, I ask a question: How much suffering do we endure by refusing to allow our experience and exposure to different viewpoints shape our belief system, making how we view life more whole and closer to Reality? Then, another question: How can we excuse ourselves if we pass along falsehoods or half-truths simply because we are too afraid to be open-minded to Truth?

To be faithful entails integrity of mind. Being open-minded is essential to having an open heart and open door. Indeed, what we believe will determine to what extent we can be open-hearted and welcoming to others, especially those who appear to differ much with us. We cannot be close-minded and expect to be open-hearted and open-doored (i.e., welcoming). But, as we open our minds, we will find ourselves being more compassionate and more hospitable to more persons.

Now, this is not a sweet sounding Path of Spirit, today. This writing arises from my understanding, as a Christian, a pastor, a teacher, and a person that openness of mind is essential to healthy culture and religion. Likewise, I find the use of religion as a guardian of truth more than as a stimulus to faithful seeking of Truth to be antithetical to the claims of a healthy faith. Likewise, that an open-minded faith might not attract the most persons only says that most persons seek more comfort through faith than challenge through faith.

I encourage you in your openness to Truth. Let your open-mindedness witness to your faithfulness to Truth and your Love of God, Who is Truth.

Spiritual Exercises

1. What about the above article encouraged you? Did anything above discomfort you?
2. Do you feel permission to examine your beliefs and openly in a faith community?
3. Which of the two choices below most reflect what you have come to believe is being a person of integrity in regard to your faith:
a. I know what I’ve been taught, and I’m not going to compromise it.
b. I know what I’ve been taught, but I’m always open to seeing things differently and invite being challenged to do so.
4. Which of the following two statements most characterizes your faith community:
a. We have the answers and want to teach others what is true.
b. What we believe is adequate, but we need to interact with other faith groups, for we can all learn from each other.
5. Can you honestly pray the Prayer from Kenya given above? If so, do that now.
6. How might religion and politics use the Bible or God to enforce a particular belief system to their own advantage, without being willing to listen to the views of others? How can this be a form of arrogance? A denial of Jesus’ teaching to love our neighbor as ourselves? Be a form of blasphemy (i.e., using God's name in vain)?
7. Are you more interested in a version of truth or in Truth? Explain.

Prayer

Help me to so love Truth, that in no way will I compromise Truth. Let me to so love Truth, that I will not cling to untruth or half-truths, claiming faithfulness to Truth as excuse to deny Truth. Let me love Truth, but not to share or seek to enforce Truth in a way that denies the right of others to differ with me and be loved as equals by me. I pray this, Lord of Truth. Amen.

-Brian K. Wilcox

OneLife Ministries is a pastoral outreach and nurture ministry of the First United Methodist Church, Fort Meade, FL. For Spiritual Direction, Pastoral Counseling, spiritual formation workshops, Christian meditation retreats, or more information about OneLife, write Rev. Dr. Brian K. Wilcox at briankwilcox@comcast.net.