I recently took part in a deeply meaningful discussion called "Revelation in a Time of Plague" that was organized by an interfaith group in Boston. Religious leaders from the Abrahamic faiths explored the questions listed below and came up with some profound responses that helped me to think about this crisis from a spiritual and religious perspective.
This is a good time for thoughtful reflection as well as compassionate action. In this blog I respond to the following questions from my Quaker Christian perspective and encourage you to do likewise and share them with your friends and religious community. (FYI I have modified these questions so they are relevant to non-theistic faiths.)
- What do you see as the role of God/Truth/Buddha nature in this pandemic?
- What is the role of spirituality and religion?
- What is the role of people of faith?
- How can we connect more with our spiritual being and God/Truth so that we can help the world overcome this crisis?
- What do we tell our children when they ask why is God doing this and/or why this is happening?
- And many others
Here's the link in case you want to take part in this discussions during the next few weeks:
If you scroll down, you can read statements from Quaker organizations as well as from the Parliament of the World's Religions related to this crisis. I have been involved with the Parliament for many years and it played a significant role in my spiritual development. What they say in this statement reflects some of the most enlightened religious thought on this planet.
Here are some thoughts I plan to share with my monthly interfaith spiritual practice group, facilitated by my friend Jeff Utter:
Historically, especially in pre-scientific times, epidemics
or plagues have been seen a a punishment from God or the gods. Priests have
told their followers to appease the offended gods by making sacrifices. This
kind of thinking still persists and there are those who see this pandemic as a
sign of Divine Wrath and the “Last Days.”
The Hebrew
Bible offers a somewhat different perspective. In the most famous plague, or
series of plagues in the Bible, Pharaoh was commanded by God not to make
sacrifices but to liberate an oppressed people from slavery and oppression.
Whenever pestilences or disasters occur, Hebrew prophets often see the cause as
a failure of the rich and powerful to act justly, especially towards the poor.
For example, Habukuk describes a series of disasters that befell his people and
then speaks truth to power:
“‘Woe to
him who piles up stolen goods
and makes himself wealthy by extortion!
How long must this go on?’
“Woe to
him who builds his house by unjust gain,
setting his nest on high
to escape the clutches of ruin!
You have plotted the ruin of many peoples,
shaming your own house and forfeiting your life.
The stones of
the wall will cry out,
and the beams of the woodwork will echo it.
“Woe to him who builds a city with bloodshed
and establishes a town by injustice!” (Habakuk 2)
Most modern religious leaders do not see
plagues as a divine punishment even for injustices such as this, but rather as
a time for moral reflection and action. We don’t know why God sent, or allowed,
this lethal contagion. We do know that God calls us to “love mercy, act justly
and walk humbly” (Micah 6:8). And that’s what many are doing: first responders,
doctors, nurses, grocery store employees, and yes, advocates for social
justice. Many ordinary people are performing acts of extraordinary kindness.
Our friends and neighbors have brought us groceries, cookies, flowers, even
toilet paper for which we are deeply grateful.
I see God’s role during a pandemic as our collective
conscience and comforter. And that’s also the role of God’s people. We can’t overcome
this crisis by hunkering down in solitary confinement. We are called
collectively to do what we can to alleviate suffering and to help find a cure
not just for the disease but for the social attitudes that have made this
disease worse than it should be. The most deadly social disease is selfishness,
our American belief in rugged individualism. As people of faith, we are called
to reject this false philosophy and lift up the importance of community.
Finally, here’s what would I tell children
during this crisis. I would say that this disease is scary but we’ll get through
this as we have gotten through bad times in the past. We don’t know why bad things
like this happen, but when they do, we need to take care of ourselves and be
kind and helpful to others. That’s what God calls us to do. We are better
together.
Post Script: Twenty years ago, I was led to write a sci fi novel called "Relics of America" that predicted a pandemic that took place in 2020 and led to the fall of the American empire. So it is strange to see this novel unfold in real time. The American empire is crumbling before our eyes and a new world order will emerge from the rubble. I am confident that our Quaker and interfaith peace community will be part of the effort to create a sustainable and equitable society in the aftermath of this pandemic. An updated version of apocalyptic sci fi novel is now available at https://www.amazon.com/Relics-America-Anthony-Manousos-ebook/dp/B074B53FR7
Here's a description of the novel:
Science fiction novel set in 2061. War has been abolished, but this new age of peace and prosperity has come at a terrible cost. In the year 2020, a genetically engineered super-virus, created in an American laboratory, wiped out nearly half of the world's population. American scientists tried to cure this plague, but failed. Humanity was saved only through a miracle drug created by an Egyptian scientist named Dr Hathout who demanded that nations disband their armies before he would share his remedy. Most countries disarmed and received Mubarak's cure. Only America stubbornly refused. As a result, its population was decimated by plague. Threatened with extinction, the last Americans were finally given the cure and allowed to live, with their antiquated weapons, in what used to be called New England. The dream of a peaceful world is endangered when Hathout is abducted by terrorists. A band of intrepid Americans risk everything to restore democracy and freedom.
Quaker responses to the Pandemic:
When Quakers get together in small groups for a time of silent worship and reflection, we call it "worship sharing." During this time of deep listening, we ask each other "queries" or open-ended questions. Here are some queries from today's Quaker gathering of Southern California Friends:
How have you been able to act from your spiritual heart in these times? Are there ways your meeting could help?
How are you sustaining hope? What practices are you using that are working for you?
Are there people entrusted to your care? How are you helping with their-or your-experiences of loss, loneliness, lament and longing? What helps them – and you- connect with sources of light and love?
Is there something else on your heart that you feel led to share?
A Quaker Social Justice Response:
https://www.fcnl.org/updates/responding-to-the-coronavirus-2670
A Quaker Spiritual Response:
https://fwccamericas.org/_wp/covid-19-resources/
Dear God,
You know we are created for community, not confinement.
We are greatly challenged in this time of isolation. Help us find new ways to create community and to retain the love that gives us life.
Thank you for technology that helps us continue to accompany one another around the world in work and in relationship. Help us be creative in ways we can bring joy to one another.
Be with all the people who are suffering, both with health concerns and with economic worry. It is affecting so many people around us, not the least of which were already suffering through dislocation and poverty.
Let us hope that out of this crisis, we become stronger and more resourceful. May we encounter new ways of seeing and being in this world that can help humanity prosper.
Remind us that you are near. As the hymn goes, “We need thee every hour, oh precious Lord.” Keep opening us to staying in relationship with your fresh and lively spirit.
Help us make some sense of this loss, this fear. Help us face our own humanity through your presence, you who never sleeps, you who never stops loving us, you who accompany us in the most difficult times.
Help us. Heal us. Heal our suffering. Heal our communities. Heal our world.
Let us say, “Thank you, and thank you, and thank you.”
Amen.
Shared by Gretchen Castle, General Secretary of FWCC worldwide
November 2018, over 8000 of us gathered in the
Toronto convention center to participate in the eighth convening of the
Parliament of the World’s Religions. We were shoulder-to-shoulder,
face-to-face, hand-to-hand together to affirm “the promise of inclusion, the
power of love: pursuing global understanding, reconciliation, and change.”
Now we are physically separated from one
another in a time of a pandemic crisis, and now more than we knew at the time
we must grow together even more closely to meet our current crises. The rapid
global spread of COVID–19 forces us to recognize how interconnected we are in
the physical world. It invokes in us the need to find new ways to bring
comfort to one another, to cooperate with one another,
and to overcome the ravages of disease and death.
We also acknowledge the heroism of those in
the medical professions and all the workers in hospitals and other medical
facilities directly fighting the disease. We are grateful to those who continue
to provide essential services so that those in isolation can meet their basic
human needs of food, clothing, and shelter. We are humbled by their courage and
dedication.
It is true that the current pandemic forces
a physical separation in order to check the spread of a physical disease.
But this should cause us to recommit ourselves to fostering generative soulful attachments
to one another, and our ethical attachments to other parts of
the earth.
We humbly ask you to keep three things in
mind:
First, you are not alone. It is
understandable that when we hear the words “global crisis” we focus on the word
“crisis” rather than “global.” This pandemic is affecting all of us,
irrespective of race or religion, and there are oceans of empathy available to
us from every part of the world. We are all in this together.
Second, no one is expendable.
Those who can avoid suffering by isolating themselves, yet choose not to, which
includes unsafe gatherings of religious communities, are putting vulnerable
populations at even greater risk. Suffering in this time of peril is unavoidable,
but it must not be borne by the most vulnerable: the poor, the sick, the
elderly, the essential low-wage workers, the medical personnel.All have irreplaceable
worth.
Third, we must protect and care for
one another. The mobilizing power of persons of faith and of faith
communities is unmatched, and is needed now more than ever as hate speech and
violent rhetoric spreads across virtual platforms against vulnerable
communities. As all of our religious traditions teach us:“Be kind.”
The Parliament joins interfaith and
interreligious organizations across the globe to utilize our diversity of
beliefs and practices and remains committed to serving as a convener of the
interfaith movement, virtually, to continue working together for a world-wide
community that embraces love, compassion, justice, and peace.
*****
Stay connected to the global interfaith
community by:
• Joining
Our YouTube Community - Explore recordings of past Parliament
convenings and programming, and for the next two months enjoy never before
released full-length video programming. Released bi-monthly.
• Joining Upcoming Virtual Climate Events -
The current pandemic impacts virtually all dimensions of daily life, but also
serves to remind us of the equally threatening interconnected crises that loom
beyond our immediate consciousness: climate change, nuclear arms proliferation,
and the scourge of inequality in all its forms, to name a few. This April, we
are hosting two webinars and sharing special climate prayers from faith
leaders from around the world in celebration of Earth Day.
• Volunteering with the Parliament - Remote
volunteer opportunities are available year-round, connect with our team and
support the work of our ongoing programs.
We remain in humble service with hope for
humanity that stretches around the globe.
