Friday, May 10, 2013

Pentecost Prayer Day 37

Prejudice is a religious value in all the Abrahamic religions.The demand to be like "us" is cloaked in "concern" over the immortal souls of others. Those who demand that we reject others because of their religions are spreading destruction, not redemption. At what point does an innocent baby become an "other?" At what point do we turn their sacred souls into cesspools of fear and hatred?

I believe we are conceived infused with The Sacred Spirit when we are conceived in responsible compassion for another human being. I don't believe that infant baptism is washing anything off a baby's soul; rather it should be a commitment ceremony where the community binds themselves to walking in the way of The Sacred Spirit of responsible compassion. This includes a commitment to hold each other to the promises made.

Why is the Sunday worship hour still the most segregated hour in America? Are we so weak in our individual commitments that we must flock only with those who believe as we do? If religions exist to spread responsible compassion, how is it that we are still using taxpayer funds to do charity work? And why are our public schools still more inclusive than our religious establishments?

My prayer for Pentecost is that we see the child's soul in every human being, and begin to connect to The Sacred Spirit of everyone we meet.