Conversations and Dialogue

Thank you for sharing. I don't think anyone who knows you would think you were being offensive. The very thing I wanted here was to have a place for others to read what someone else believes and see that there are many different ways to express our faith in whatever entity we see as our higher power. I hope those of very different faiths will come join the discussion also. This is not limited to Christianity at all. I'd like to show here that while our religious views may be different or how we chose to express these views, we also may (or may not) believe in ideas such as the freedom to speak our mind, the right to raise our children as we see fit (barring abuse and that sort of thing), and the freedom and ability to pursue our passions and do meaningful work that will also support our family. I know there are many more.

This is an example of some of my beliefs that aren't necessarily religiously based, but in the end, it does get back to some of the teachings I grew up with as an Episcopalian.

I once worked with a family from Guatemala and was so comforted to see how wonderfully they treated each other as a couple and how loving and affectionate they were with their children. Although both parents spoke a non-Spanish dialect (Quiche) and I spoke English, we all knew just enough Spanish to communicate on some basic level.

What really came out of that is that when I smiled at their son and patted his head, gestured at how big he had gotten or clapped when he showed me he could do a front roll or stand on one foot, they saw I appreciated his achievements and took time to engage with their little boy.

When I saw they took their shoes off at the front door to keep the house clean (and it was spotless), I did the same when I walked in. They saw I was being respectful of their household ways. They pulled a chair out for me if one wasn't free in the room to show their respect back to me.

They had a little Catholic altar in a corner of their living room with a tall glass candle with the rough surface and picture on it (I'm not Catholic so please forgive me if I don't describe this correctly). When one of the boys rolled a ball that way, I told him "no, roll it that other way", demonstrating it by rolling sideways so their return roll wouldn't hit the altar. The parents saw I respected their things but mainly I took seriously their religious symbols.

Those little exchanges were as close to what I feel the God I believe in would want me to engage in with those different from me because in the end, they weren't so different after all. They have since moved back to Guatemala (voluntarily, I might add) so they can raise their children among many family members as is their custom, but I hope our exchanges brought some positive memories of kindness to them in America rather than just those who threatened to deport them. I will also say, those two people had the best work ethic I've seen in my cases in fifteen years. They were steady, dedicated workers and they did their best to learn English and Spanish (so they can communicate with their coworkers, bosses, and so they understand the Spanish speaking priest in the little church near them that had a Spanish service once a week.

We can talk about legal and illegal immigration, Islam vs. Radical Islam, Radical Christians vs. Moderate Christians Atheists vs. Agnostics, and so on, and we can go on about the otherness of groups we don't understand but in the end, its about the family-the holy family perhaps, the trinity perhaps, a family of believers in whatever faith you want to name, or just our own family. Treating each other right, listening, respecting differences, etc. Its the only way I see that we can fulfill that very basic notion that we must treat others as we would have them treat us.

Anyone like to comment further on this? Please feel free.