Isn't this all really a personal matter? I mean, how can anyone expect anyone else to see to it that others become less hypocritical. We all acknowledge that the issue has been around for a long time, so maybe it's just a matter of human nature. You know, something that just can't be changed. Maybe it's something we just have to learn to live with.
Well, as I've noted from time to time, we humans are not like the rest of the species on this planet. In contrast to our plant friends and animal relatives, we have a history of changing what and how we think. We have the ability -- much underdeveloped, I will admit -- of changing ourselves, our behavior and our minds. It's not easy, but it can be done. This has been proven over and over and over again. Two recent events have given me reason to hope. Oddly enough, both of these come from the domain of religion, but what good is religion if it can't instill in us some hope? Regardless ... consider this:
Just over two weeks ago, the new pope, Francis, stirred up a hornet's nest in the Vatican by suggesting ... well, saying ... that even atheists could be redeemed if they led a good life. Despite all the clarifications and interpretations and revisions and who knows what-not have been streaming out of the Catholic (and wider Christian) community, I really don't know what all the uproar is about. The only open issue, perhaps is what "good" means, but Pope Francis didn't say anything that can't found in Christian scripture. In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, verses 34-40, Jesus tells a parable about the Judgment of Nations in which he specified the six things that one must do in order to be considered righteous; that is, redeemed and eligible for God's Kingdom, and these are
- to feed the hungry
- to give drink to the thirsty
- to clothe the naked
- to shelter the homeless
- to visit the sick
- to ransom captives (or visit those in prison)
Later, the Catholic church added a seventh item -- "to bury the dead" (which is from the Book of Tobit) -- and together these comprise what is known in Church doctrine as the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy. This is really a very common-sensible list (which many Bible-thumping politicians would do well to revisit), and it surprises me there should be an uproar over something that is this straightforward.
No, the uproar is, at least in my mind, due to the fact that Pope Francis made clear that actions speak louder than words. Those who do these things are righteous, not those who have the list, think they own the list, or tell others that they need to follow the list. None of that matters. What matters is what you do, and this is what is so new about the pope's statements.
The next time, I'll speak about the other event which contributed to my current hopefulness.
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