‘FEAR’ – SOME OBSERVATIONS, PART III. . .

Be Not Afraid! — God

This statement occurs more often than any statement in the ‘scriptures’ for the People of the Book (Jews, Christians, Muslims).  This statement is also one that occurs most often in all other faith, philosophical and humanist traditions.  As a Christian Ecumenist, I often find myself focusing on Jesus-the-Christ when it comes to this statement.

Jesus seldom accepted the questions posed to him.  He often exposed them as coming from a heart of fear.  In addition to exposing the question as rooted in the heart of fear, Jesus transformed the question.

How often are we, who claim to be followers of Jesus-the-Christ, seduced by the fear-full questions the world presents to us?  To what extent are we awake and aware to how anxious, nervous, fear-full we become when we embrace and integrate these questions?  How often do we equate the questions with our ‘survival’ – or with the survival of those we love or with the survival of humankind?

Once we embrace and integrate them, these survival questions become our guiding-life questions.  They are so power-full that we tend to then dismiss works spoken from the ‘heart of love’ as unrealistic, romantic, sentimental, pious, useless or just plain crazy.  When someone offers ‘love’ as an alternative to ‘fear’ how often have we heard – or said – ‘Yes, yes, that sounds good, but. . .’

Our ‘but’ reveals how much we live in a world rooted in fear – perhaps humankind’s identity is fear.  Our ‘but’ also reveals how the faith, philosophical and humanist traditions who claim to be rooted in love are seen as ‘naïve’ and their questions are ‘unrealistic.’  Here are some of the fear-full questions that are meant to enhance our fears: What if you grow old and there is no one to care for you?  What if you lose your job and you can no longer support your family? What if we continue to accept refugees and immigrants who, as we know, present a ‘real threat’ to our way of life? What if the Chinese become the dominant economic force in the world?  Gentle Reader, the questions are legion  and I invite you to add your own.

When we emerge, embrace and integrate these ‘realistic’ questions we repeat again and again in a ‘cynical spirit-voice’ which speaks to us, not as the Spirit of Love does in ‘whispers’ but shouts to us from the ‘wall of protectionism’: Words about peace, forgiveness, reconciliation, love and a new way are wonderful, BUT the REAL ISSUES cannot be ignored.  These REAL ISSUES require that we do not allow others to mess with us and that we retaliate when we are offended, that we let the world know that we are always ready for war, and that if necessary we will build walls of all types that will keep you out and in your place.

These ‘real issues’ are dominating us today such that we are rooted in fear.  The root of fear has become a major tap root that feeds us, sustains us and transforms our identity into an identity of fear.  Oh, we keep uttering words of love and at times we actually demonstrate love for neighbor (think: How we are responding to Harvey and Irma).  If we follow the path we have taken before, once we have enough distance from Harvey and Irma, we will quickly resort to being fear-full.  For example, we will, once again, become fear-full of the very neighbors we are helping to recover (talk about a paradox, or is it an irony).

I leave us, this morning with a question: Is it possible, in the midst of this fear-inducing world to live rooted in love and listen to the questions raised by the God-of-Love or by the philosophical and humanist traditions rooted in love?