A Question of Faith

It is said that religion and politics do not make for good dinner conversation.

We often see these very topics discussed in our forums, leading me to believe that these are topics that people are passionate about. In fact, it is precisely because of the passion these topics arouse that it is suggested they be avoided as topics for dinner conversations.

It seems to me that when people’s passions are aroused the level of debate rises. The problem is that some people rise above their self-restraint, and in defending their own beliefs they begin to attack those who disagree.

This is unfortunate; it is only by having dialogues regarding our diverse political and religious beliefs that we can begin to eradicate bias, prejudice, and stereotypes.

In order to understand another’s beliefs we must first be open to listening to others as they describe them to us. In addition, we must listen with an open mind, ignoring the fact that their beliefs and practices may be different than ours.

We also must, in my opinion, accept two basic tenets:

• first, that just because someone’s beliefs are different from our own does not make them wrong;
  
• second, that our own beliefs are neither better nor worse, they are just different.
  

We need to accept that people from other cultures hold to their own beliefs as fervently, or perhaps even more so, than we hold to our own. We also need to recognize that people who come to Canada do not have to leave their cultures and beliefs behind and “assimilate” with the rest of us.

Let’s not forget that this country was built by people who left their homelands looking for a better life, in many cases escaping the oppression of totalitarian regimes. When our forebears came to this country they did not leave their cultures and beliefs behind, but proudly brought these with them.

What has changed since then? Nothing, really, except where immigrants are coming from. Instead of coming from western and eastern European countries, new immigrants to Canada are coming from the Middle East and Asia.

I often hear, and read, the argument that “if I were to move to their country, I would be expected to learn their language and follow their customs.” Probably so. That does not make it right to impose such draconian and intolerant conditions on newcomers to our country.

Ours is a country of immigrants. There is evidence that even our First Nations people originated in western Asia, although they appear to have been in North America for many, many generations prior to the arrival of Europeans.

So why do we get so hung-up about recent immigrants to Canada?

Likely it is because we are not as familiar with the people of other countries as we ought to be. The unknown can be scary, and unfamiliarity leads to discomfort. As well, a lack of first-hand knowledge often leads to mistaken impressions and unfounded attitudes toward people from other cultures.

For myself, whenever I hear someone begin a statement with, “Everybody knows that…” I take it with a grain of salt. Likely it would be more accurate to say “A lot of people share this misconception about….”

I will admit that there is reason for concern when extremists begin spreading their views; this applies to extremists amongst immigrants and those who have forgotten they are themselves descendants of immigrants.

As for religious beliefs, again I will say that what someone else believes is of little concern to me. I have no more right to tell a Sikh not to wear a kirpan than a Sikh has to tell me not to wear a cross.

To often, as I suggested earlier, we forget that our beliefs are neither right nor wrong, they are simply our beliefs.

Some would go so far as to suggest that the faithful, of whatever religious persuasion, are simply deluding themselves, that all this attention to religious dogma is the cause of most of the tension between peoples of different cultures in the first place.

Perhaps they are right, but that does not negate the positive aspects of religious faith.

When we hold personal beliefs, especially when we share those beliefs with other, like-minded individuals, we establish a community. Here in Canada, that community takes on the appearance of a mosaic, with each facet of the whole as important as any other, all contributing to the overall montage.

Certainly there are examples of where extremism – again, on both sides – has reared its ugly head, but overall our cultural mosaic has been a very positive aspect of Canadian culture and identity.

We need to have faith, both individual and shared, in ourselves. Our forebears came to this country and built a society of acceptance, a place recognized by people around the world for its tolerance and open-mindedness.

Decade after decade people have come to Canada to both embrace what we have and to make their own contributions.

I see no reason why that should not continue.

But… that’s just my opinion.