This is the fifth and final article in our exploration of how religious or spiritual groups interact with the world they are a part of. Whereas the first four patterns of relating to the world have been active - conquering, transforming, creating, and renouncing - this last one is significantly different. It is a lifestyle of passivity. An approach of apathy. It is the pattern of "World Acceptor".
Have you ever watched a TV show in which the producers stage some sort of socially and/or morally questionable scenario in a public place, and then use hidden cameras to record the reactions and responses of the public? The situation could be bullying, racism, or any one of a number of socially charged issues, and the purpose is to see if anyone will step in and "do the right thing". If a World Acceptor were to come across such a scenario, they would look at the situation, realize that it was unacceptable, and then just shrug their shoulders and move on.
A World Acceptor is a person or group who sees the clear differences between their values/beliefs and those of the rest of the world, and then decides that the best approach is to do nothing. In terms of religion and spiritualty, some examples could be in the area of appropriate sexual behaviour, the use of force (personally or nationally), or the treatment of people on the fringes of society. When a spiritual person or group recognizes that their beliefs and values are not in sync with the values of the larger society that they are a part of, they have a choice to make.
For a World Acceptor, the appropriate response is to ignore the differences and hope that the issue will resolve itself without requiring active participation of either the individual or the group. Don't rock the boat. Perhaps someone else will step up and speak into the situation. Often, World Acceptors will keep their beliefs to themselves, even if they are asked for clarification. Not surprisingly, religious groups that operate from a World Acceptor mindset do not tend to last very long. If we were to scour the pages of history and look for shining examples of World Acceptors, we wouldn't find any. They've chosen to make themselves obsolete.
Let's take a minute and remind ourselves of the five patterns of relating to the world - World Conqueror, World Transformer, World Creator, World Renouncer, and World Acceptor. Which one are you? In terms of your religious affiliation and spiritual beliefs, which pattern dominates your thoughts and actions? Thinking of your personal life, how have you experienced the strengths and weakness of each approach? Finally, if you were to reshape your mindset, which pattern would fit you best?
Understanding how we relate to those around us is critical if we are to become people who live with integrity. As mentioned at the beginning of this series, no man is an island. We are all interrelated. The question I leave us with is this - how do you relate to people whose spirituality is different than yours?
Questions or Comments? Each week, this column will explore issues and questions about religion and spirituality in Prince George and around the world. Please email your questions and comments about this article, or ideas and questions for future articles to "pgspirituality@wessner.ca".
