Tribal Notions

Basing his words on the writings of Baha'u'llah, founder of the Baha'i tradition in Iran, Wayne Teasdale reminds us that the forces of globalism are inevitably bringing the human family together, for good and for bad. He goes on to say that "the retrogressive forces of tribalism and narrow notions of culture and religion" react violently to "the coming together of the planet as one community." "The planet itself is our real nation, and we are all members of this larger society. The enlightened have to put the interests of humankind and the natural world before the interests of individual communities." (Wayne Teasdale [The Mystic Hours], New World Library, 2004)

In my own rather narrow experience, I am reminded that I routinely and habitually behave based on my own tribal upbringing, which is not limited to my blood family. We are reminded by the gospel writers, Mark, Matthew and Luke, to love our neighbors as ourselves. We know, of course, that this teaching in the Gospels is not limited to the neighbors on our block or fellow churchgoers or the elect of any group that we choose or we are chosen to be a part of.

I am further reminded in my limited experience of the tragedy of families torn apart by misunderstanding, jealousy, selfishness and pride. We hardly have to walk out our own door to know such misery. The sad truth is that we choose this misery in so many of our human relationships. For myself, I want to be reminded every day that I choose my happiness and I choose my misery. And though I am at times angry or sad or jealous, none of these traits of the human condition define who I am. We all have a choice. If I can't love and embrace my own family, how in God's name am I to love and embrace the rest of the world? I recall from the wisdom spoken from the podium a few Sundays ago, it is impossible to bless and judge at the same time. And so it is.