Spirit On The Margins

Site of Mahatma Gandhi

“Mohandas Gandhi was the hero of the Indian independence movement. Others had embraced nonviolence as a personal or religious code. But, it was Gandhi who demonstrated that the same spirit of nonviolence he embraced as a principle of life could be harnessed as a principle of political struggle.”

“He was a Hindu who politely rejected the dogmatic claims of Christianity while embracing the ethical claims of Christ. Indeed, if left with the Sermon on the Mount and his own interpretation of it, he said he would gladly call himself a Christian. Jesus, as Gandhi observed, called human beings not to a new religion but a new life.”

All Saints, by Robert Ellsberg

“I came definitely to the conclusion that, if I had to serve the people in whose midst my life was cast and of whose difficulties I was a witness from day to day, I must discard all wealth, all possession….”

“I cannot tell you with truth that, when this belief came to me, I discarded everything immediately. I must confess to you that progress at first was slow. And now, as I recall those days of struggle, I remember that it was also painful in the beginning. But, as days went by, I saw that I had to throw overboard many other things which I used to consider as mine, and a time came when it became a matter of positive joy to give up those things. And one after another, then, by almost geometric progression, the things slipped away from me.”

“And, as I am describing my experiences, I can say a great burden fell off my shoulders, and I felt that I could now walk with ease and do my work also in the service of my fellow-men with great comfort and still greater joy. The possession of anything then became a troublesome thing and a burden.”

Gandhi

Ultimately, Gandhi also became a source of inspiration to Martin Luther King. Jr. and his nonviolent civil rights movement.

Buddhist Monks carrying begging bowls 

Religion Facts Buddhism

At another post on this blog, a friend of mine, Emily Wilmer, made reference to a begging bowl.  Begging Bowl  I found this interesting reflection by Rev Rudolph Nemser

“Several years ago,
in a book, Everyday Sacred by Sue Bender
I gratefully remember but cannot find,
I read of the ancient Buddhist custom
of the begging bowl.
Each morning the Buddhist monk
sets out on his day’s journey
with an empty bowl.
All that the monk will eat that day
            -each day-
is what is placed in the bowl
by the people
            among whose lives his path takes him
At night, if no food has been placed in the bowl,
the monk goes to his bed hungry;
if any food remains,
the monk is to eat it all…
            not waste any…
so that the morrow
            shall start out with an again empty bowl.
The reason for the monk’s bowl
            is a teaching that transcends
                    physical hunger.
Teachers instruct that, like the monks,
            each morning
everyone of us should begin our day
            with mind and spirit cleared and uncluttered.
We should be in a state of receptiveness without demand.
Thus our psyches will be able, like the bowl,
            to be filled by the experiences
                    and the teachings
we encounter in the course of the day.”

……..

“Monks and charity.
Buddhist monks and their bowls.
Benedictine monks and abbeys.”
___
“What is the spiritual meaning
            of the hunger and the giving?
Why does the Buddhist tradition teach
            there shall be people of the begging bowl?
Why does the Christian tradition
            teach the sacredness of the calling
            of a life a prayer
                    dependent upon the gifts of others…
                            freely given
                                    often with only unvoiced thanks?
What is the meaning of the people of hunger…
            the people who are hungry
                    not as function of birth
                    but as deliberate path of choice?”

Urban Dharma Worse Than Hunger 

This great question was posed by Jodi. When I read her question, I immediately thought, “All the major religions value serving the poor.” Then I realized that I think that because I have heard others say it, but I have never really checked it out for myself.  This morning, I attended worship at Church of the Open Door.

Their new worship pastor,  a young guy by the name of Stefan Van Voorst, gave an inspiring talk about his deep friendship with an Arab Muslim in the Middle East. His friend has chosen to serve the poorest of the poor there. I like it when I find direct evidence of things in my experience and relationships. For some reason, it means more to me.

But I also found evidence on the internet.  Islam Overview

Serving the poor and disadvantaged is central to Islamic faith, because it allows a Muslim to grow in generosity of heart, so that self-concern and vanity will not get in the way of his or her submission to God.

From the Journal of Student Ministries

The call to seek justice and serve others is common among many world religions. In fact justice and service may be the table at which all the world’s faith traditions can sit in agreement without compromising their own identities or theologies.

And finally, there are Jewish social service agencies in most communities.

Jewish Family Service

 These are just some of the many references I found on the internet.

Does anyone have real life stories of seeing and experiencing first hand the different world religions serving the poor?

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410

The Dalai Lama received a congressional medal this week. He was in Austin Texas prior to that.  There were some quotes in this article I found particularly interesting. 

“In his speech, the Dalai Lama addressed other religions indirectly, calling for religious harmony.” 

“But I think the Dalai Lama and Jesus would hit it off quite nicely.” 

“The Dalai Lama isn’t preaching humility while seeking personal fame.  He’s not teaching compassion for the poor while splurging on material possessions. He truly is a simple man.”

I really resonate with these comments. What do you think?