I’ve found one teaching in all religions that holds the answer to most of the problems of the world, best captured by the teaching “Love thy neighbour as thyself”
This beautiful teaching isn’t so difficult to apply to loved ones. It’s not so easy to apply to the distracted woman in the dented Nissan Micra in front of you in the morning rush hour; who leaves a gap in front that a couple of nuclear trains could get into, so that she has sufficient reaction time to avoid a collision while she composes a text on the mobile phone in the passenger seat. I have tried to put myself in her shoes more often. And it seems to be working - the heels do my back in, the pointed end crushes my toes, but it will feel great when I take them off!
I tried to enter a side street today, but was blocked by a lady driver intent on occupying the middle ground (oh how I wish there were more people with that bent). She looked at me and started to become restless. She reversed a little, then moved forward a little. I did something unusual; I resisted the middle-finger-salute that is my standard message to drivers who offend my sensibilities - and instead - I smiled - broadly - mouthing “it’s ok, don’t worry”. I sat patiently and moved on without complaint or ill-will.
I must try it more often. It made me feel better about myself and I’m sure the lady was slightly relieved by my unexpected attitude too. Imagine the world where everyone did that, most of the time? Would we be lashing out as a society at those we don’t trust, in the grip of unreasonable media-fuelled fear and hysteria? I think not. Tolerance used to be a byword for this country, or at least I feel it was in some circles. Maybe my Starck specs have started to tint a lighter shade of rose.
2000 years on, we are murdering, pillaging and raping in the name of Christ in Iraq. I wouldn’t say that our current actions accurately reflect the philosophy of Jesus.
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