Free Communities Now!

Last updated on: April 16, 2009 at 3:21 pm by David Hayward

Free Communities Now! 2009-04-16T15:21:01-04:00 David Hayward

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

_dsc1817-2 Everyone has the right to believe what he or she wants to believe. In fact, that can’t be helped. Homogeneous belief can be legislated (as it often is) but it can’t be enforced (as is often attempted). In other words, we can be told what to believe, but we can’t be forced to believe it, even under the threat of death. We may believe the craziest and even most hateful things. We may be inspired to believe what is most beautiful and true. This is our right. Even Luther said,

Every man must do his own believing, just as every man must do his own dying.

I see our community as a place where this must be made possible. I do not wish to create an enclave of homogenous religious thought. I could try, but it would be impossible. Or, together we could try to become that, but the result would not only be a fabrication, but unhealthy for our members. This, in my opinion, is a very present danger, but commonly practiced today. In an effort to preserve a certain dogma and piety, some isolate themselves from the world and only engage the world to extract converts to its thoughts and ways.

I do believe in the inestimable value of such places as monasteries and such communities as the Amish. More than that, I believe in their right to exist. But there needs to be open places where people can freely express wonder and adoration, commune with the True, seek truth, and learn how to be wise and compassionate in the context of community. There must be such communities that are witnesses to the fact that the Beloved Community is not just an idea but a reality made manifest. There must be such demonstrations of a just and free intercourse of all people, and that testify to the declared truth of the reconciliation of all things. These can be light to the world that peace on earth and good will to all people… all people… is not just possible, but among us and at hand!

The fine art photograph is the creation of my friend, Mark Hemmings, and was taken on his recent trip to Japan. It was shot at Shinjuku Station in Japan. Very cool!

Check out my tees HERE. I’m growing my inventory all the time. And check out my art HERE.

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