Diplomacy means Engagement
If the Hillary confirmation Senate hearings are any bellweather, the New Era of American Foreign Policy will be one of constructive engagement; in other words - actual real diplomacy
(not bunker hiding while spear tossing).
The belief that someone's behavior will only get better if only we give them the "talk to the hand" treatment will be replaced with a more detente-ish tete-a-tete. How can you walk a mile in your neighbor's moccassins if you don't take your shoes off?
This new administration doesn't appear to be drawing lines in the sand so much as inviting everyone to the sandcastle building party. If we all play nice together maybe we can actually build something helpful and useful ---for all concerned, not just a few oil moguls and their secret
deferred stockholders.
This approach to Peace through Dialogue is one that has been mirrored in the open-hearted religious communities of all religious spectrum. Today, in Washington, DC at the RUMI FORUM (www.rumiforum.org) (founded by a Muslim Professor at Georgetown from Turkey) the Director of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington Clark Lobenstine gave an address on the importance of approaching differing faiths with more than tolerance but with respect and admiration. Tolerance basically says "I'll put up with you" while respect and admiration applauds the glorious diversity that God made us all and cherishes the godly drive in all to worship their creator as god-inspired. He was introduced by a staff member of the Georgetown Jewish chaplains office.
Beyond "tolerance" indeed is "Love" which is more than "don't do to another what you don't want done to you" and goes beyond the positive "do to your neighbor what you want done to you." Love is creative, tolerance is static. The commandment and call is to aggressively "Love" the neighbor, not just tolerate the neighbor. The Rumi Forum, a Muslim founded organization devoted to peace and dialogue, invited all faiths to this, hosted a luncheon of homemake turkish delicacies and created a wonderul environment to respectfully explore questions of faith and policy.
Last Sunday, a similar theme was echoed by the Jesuit Father Thomas Michel who addressed the John Carroll Society, a Catholic organization, and who just left to go live in Turkey after a stint as a Woodstock Theological Fellow at Georgetown University. If ever there were a hidden saint....He is a Jesuit from the American Midwest but operating out of the Indonesian Province of the Jesuits because he spent many years working in the area of Muslim-Christian cooperation in Indonesia. He didn't just tolerate his neighbors, he loved them. He noted that while living in a Muslim country, sometimes as the only Christian for miles and miles around, he was always warmly received and cared for. He recalled a touching encounter where someone noted that they love it when he comes to speak because "it's like a visit from the Prophet Jesus." He noted that this is what Christians have an obligation to be to the Muslim world- and the Prophet Jesus, we recall, came to bless, love, heal, drive out demons, and raise the dead. He didn't kill a soul, and wishes that none should perish but that all should have eternal life with him.
These people, Fr. Michel and Reverend Lobenstine, who combined have over half a century of experience in building interfaith bridges are true heros of the Faith- they are the Five Star Generals in the Christian Army marching as to War. The new "War" should be the non-violent resistence against those who would kill in the name of a God who is the Prince of Peace.
And that brings us to Martin Luther King day next Monday. Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that
the call of the true Christian is to non-violently resist intolerance and evil with Love.
He caused a revolution without calling for bloodshed, and 40 years later- we are witnessing the fruit in Inagurating our first African American President.
God moves in mysterious ways- and on the move He is.
Happy Martin Luther King day to one and all.
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