In his 2007 book Acts of Faith, Eboo Patel makes the case that the 21st century will be shaped by what he calls "the question of the faith line." The concept is simple: Unbeknownst to us, there exists a line that divides society into two groups: religious totalitarians and religious pluralists. Religious totalitarians essentially seek uniformity of thought and belief. It's their way or the highway: the highway of course being conversion, condemnation or, in extreme circumstances, death. Terrorist organizations today fall under such a category.
Pluralists, on the other hand, believe that people of all faiths need to find a way to live together in union, but made up of unique communities, each making their own positive contributions towards a common good that benefits everyone. As Americans, we are lucky enough to live in a society where (at least theoretically) this is a guiding principle of our social interactions. Though we don't always live up to this ideal, we must always strive for it, because now more than ever, we cannot afford to give up.
Terrorism isn't born from a single faith nor does it pop into people's minds of its own accord. It's nurtured by religious totalitarians who understand that society is divided in this way and realize that the only way their ideology can thrive is if they plant it firmly in ignorance and bigotry. They want a polarized society whose differences are simply too much to ever overcome. Patel, however, argues that if the voices of religious pluralists are loud enough and strong enough, we can make it resoundingly clear that in this diverse world in which we live, totalitarianism is not an option.
The youth voice has always had a powerful role in this country, and we cannot let that legacy end now. We have a duty to do everything we can to fix what those before us have broken. Luckily, we are blessed with the unyielding hope and drive, and yes, even naiveté of youth, and as we move forward into the next stages of our lives, we must constantly ask ourselves what we can do not only to resolve the effects of this problem, but to address its cause directly.
Well, our options are pretty clear. We can sit idly and watch as totalitarians dominate the global religious forum. Listen as they tell us that the question is clear and there is only one right answer: theirs. Swing our fists at phantom foes when they pose threats to our way of life, constantly missing until the only options we have left are bombs and guns and ammunition.
There is another option. We can stand up and fight the intellectual battle that so many say is impossible and show these people that life isn't so cut and dry. That if we want to make this world a better place - a safer place - for our children and our children's children, we must value each other as human beings not in spite of our differences, but because we are different. We must understand that we have common values and common aspirations and we can only succeed if we reach for them together. The world will never be a homogenous place, there will always be diversity, and yet we will all always occupy this same land, this same planet. What other option do we have but to get along?
Believe me, I know what this must sound like: lofty rhetoric and blind idealism. You're probably thinking it's a lot easier said than done and if this has been an issue that's plagued humanity for thousands of years, how can we expect to be the ones to fix it? The honest answer is that we probably can't. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. The most important social movements in our history started from the bottom up and beat insurmountable odds.
This is the heart of the interfaith movement.
Interfaith is a movement. It is one growing on the grassroots level, slowly making its way into our everyday lives. The Interfaith Center on Charles Street is so much more than a place where you go to religious services, get free ice cream or have cram sessions the night before exams. It is one of many places across this country where this movement was born, it's where hospitality, compassion and hope for a better tomorrow thrive, and where young people are taking a stand for what we want our future to look like.
What have I learned in my time at the Interfaith Center these past four years? That everything I've mentioned here isn't just lofty rhetoric and blind idealism; it's a reality.
