I am a social worker by training and of course, inclusive of everyone. I teach social work and on occasion, have discussions with students that are not necessarily social work in focus. This happened just yesterday, when speaking of new students from Africa and the religions of their country. One of those religions happens to be Voudun. You would know it in this country as Voodoo. Needless to say, this led us far afield in a religious discussion.
Now, let’s do a bit of homework. Voudun is one of the oldest religions on Earth. It is a nature based religion much like Native American spirituality. It is pagan in that it sees multiple gods as representing the Great Spirit or Creator God. It is not demonic or Satanic in nature and everything you may have been led to believe about it comes straight from TV and Europeans trying to demonize it because it was from Africa at a time when slaves were being taken from West Africa and stripped of their religion and culture. In fact, the Voudon belief system was so powerful in Haiti, it led finally to independence for all.
So, one of my students was very concerned about our discussion that all people have some spiritual belief and a belief in some Higher Power. He sent an email to let me know he had looked it up and Islam does not believe in the same God. I am proud of him for doing research. I am sad for him that he has missed my lessons on being inclusive.
You see, I follow the most inclusive person our world has ever known. Jesus is the embodiment of the Eternal on this Earth. Colossians 1:17 says he is in all of creation and he holds it all together. ALL truly means all, it is not limited to Christians any more than Jesus’ sacrifice was limited to that exclusive club. And, I immediately know some will find that offensive. I am truly sorry for that, but Jesus loved sinners, Jews, gentiles (what we now call pagans), Samaritans, and Romans (again pagans) and whores and thieves (hanging on the cross with him), traitors (Judas, and me on any given day), ALL!
Namaste is Hindu and means “I recognize the Eternal in you”. You hear it at yoga classes all the time. Namaskarum is the word used in Kerala, India where I traveled. I believe that our world would be so very different if we greeted each other every day by saying, “I see the living God in you” and lived it out that way. Racism, sexism, all forms of hatred and prejudice would be gone. Jesus was that very person, teaching us to include all people everywhere. Even if they don’t believe like we do. When will we figure out that he stretched his arms wide on that cross and embraced us ALL.
TMM