By Nathaniel Torrey
Recently the Dalai Lama turned the heads of believers and nonbelievers alike when he had this to say about the future of religion via a Facebook update:
All the world’s major religions, with their emphasis on love, compassion, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness can and do promote inner values. But the reality of the world today is that grounding ethics in religion is no longer adequate. This is why I am increasingly convinced that the time has come to find a way of thinking about spirituality and ethics beyond religion altogether.
This is the sort of thing I’ve come to expect from “not religious, but spiritual” people here in the United States. You’ve probably seen them driving about town in their hybrid cars covered with coexist bumper stickers, listening to New Age music, and reading Deepak Chopra. It does come as a bit of a shock that the Dalai Lama, one of the world’s most prominent spiritual leaders, would say that we must start thinking beyond religion, that religion is no longer fit to meet the task of emphasizing love, compassion, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness.
This makes clear the difference between the “religion” the Dalai Lama is talking about and how traditional Christianity views itself. They both see the list of virtues given by the Dalai Lama, love, compassion, patience, tolerance, and forgiveness, as vital. However, where they depart is the end toward which those things are practiced and obtained. Christian loves his neighbor not because it is good for the world, but because it is what brings about his salvation. It is of course good in and of itself to be kind to ones neighbor; but it does not end there. The Christian also doesn’t do it for the sake of public order or for society; he does it out of love for God. The fact that public order is maintained by practicing Christian love is merely a side effect of working out ones salvation.
The other view of “religion” sees the world as the end for which those virtues are emphasized. Therefore, if these “spiritual” people see that Christianity is at odds with the world, which it often is because its ends are not of this world, they assume that religion is “no longer adequate.” What they see as the grounds for being moral has become “outdated.” Perhaps the Church was a great institution for the middle ages, but human beings have grown up and so must the means of founding morality. True religion is not about making people loving and compassion for a particular time and place in the world. It has never claimed to be merely one step on the evolution towards a better future. Christ didn’t say “I’m the Way, and the Truth, and the Life until something better comes along to meet the current needs of men.” True religion has always claimed it is the Way.
One possible etymology of the word religion is from re-ligare, Latin for “bind again.” As we face the challenges to religion on into the future, it is important to remember that it’s not something to be tossed aside as unfit for today’s challenges. It is by its very nature transcendent and binding.
Comment by vanessagobes on September 19, 2012 at 6:31 pm
thank you for sharing! i was one of those spiritual-not-religious types until last year when i gave myself over to buddhism. i love the dalai lama, and i think he has a point. our catholic leaders have disappointed their people. we have politicians ringing the bell of faith and devotion while getting busted as adulterers, liars, thieves and drug abusers. it’s not the message that is watered down, chirst’s words are as pure and beautiful as ever. but the translation is tainted b/c those who deliver it are tainted. i think that it’s important that we know that our religion is not our faith, our religion is the vessel for learning that strengthens our faith.
the bible is a living story. its beauty is in its ability to be reinterpreted over time to maintain its relevance. i don’t think HHDL is suggesting that we toss it aside. i think he is asking that we continue to search for ways to use our religious beliefs to successfully connect with modern society.
the beauty of buddhism is that it is a religious philosophy that is inclusive. in my dharma class, i sit with christians and we grow through buddhism together.
this is pumping me up as i am seeing HHDL next month in boston!
Comment by Dan on September 19, 2012 at 7:29 pm
“Christian loves his neighbor not because it is good for the world, but because it is what brings about his salvation.” Oh really; I thought it was by the grace of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit that one is justified by faith and thereby able to obtain salvation.
Maybe the Dalai Lama has been watching too much Dr. Wayne Dyer during PBS pledge week 😉
Pingback by The Dalai Lama and the Non-Religion of the Future | THINKING PRESBYTERIAN | Scoop.it on September 19, 2012 at 7:35 pm
[…] By Nathaniel Torrey Recently the Dalai Lama turned the heads of believers and nonbelievers alike when he had this to say about the future of religion via a Facebook update: All the world’s major religions, with their emphasis on love, compassion,… […]
Comment by Dan Trabue on September 19, 2012 at 7:38 pm
Nathaniel…
Christian loves his neighbor not because it is good for the world, but because it is what brings about his salvation.
You do believe, don’t you Nathan, in salvation by grace, not by works? Orthodox Christianity does not teach that loving our neighbor brings about our salvation, but that God’s grace saves us. I’m sure you probably agree with that, right?
Nathaniel…
It is of course good in and of itself to be kind to one’s neighbor; but it does not end there. The Christian also doesn’t do it for the sake of public order or for society; he does it out of love for God.
Says who? Does the Bible say, “Don’t love your neighbor because it is good to do so, just do it because God says so…”? I don’t think so.
Is it not possible for Christians to love their neighbor (and, indeed, even our enemies!) for multiple reasons? For my part, I love my neighbor because I am a follower of Christ and Christ taught us to do that. BUT, I also love my neighbor because I think Christ’s teachings are rational. I find it rational to love my neighbor. I think it IS good for public order and do it for that reason, as well. I do it for the sake of my children, as well. I do it (strive to do so) for multiple reasons, not just one.
We probably agree there, too, I was just wondering because those two statements seemed oddly phrased.
For my part, I think we can find some truth in the Dalai Lama’s suggestion. Religion – at least defined as humanity’s efforts to find/follow God – can indeed be an impediment to faith and spirituality. That does not mean I discount all religious efforts, but I do recognize the truth in that point. Have our human based efforts to find God gotten SO convoluted and disruptive to have gotten in the way of actually finding God? Well, I think it’s a good question. One worth meditating upon.
Recall the prophet’s words to the people, speaking on behalf of God…
“I hate, I despise your religious festivals;
your assemblies are a stench to me.
Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings,
I will not accept them.
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
I will have no regard for them.
Away with the noise of your songs!
I will not listen to the music of your harps.
But let justice roll on like a river,
righteousness like a never-failing stream!”
~Amos 5
Ouch. God sure seemed tired of religion on that day. Something to consider, indeed.
Comment by Nathaniel Torrey on September 20, 2012 at 10:01 am
I do believe that grace is necessary for salvation. Forgive me for any lack of clarity.
I also agree that there are other reasons to love our neighbors. I just meant to emphasize that the first and great commandment that Christ gives in Matthew 23:37 is to “love the Lord with all of your heart, with all your soul, and all your mind.” I think the second commandment he gives, “to love your neighbor as yourself” is contained within the first. When we love God, we will love our neighbor as a necessary consequence. I also don’t think it wrong to love our neighbors for good qualities they possess;they are images of God after all.
Comment by Ben Welliver on September 21, 2012 at 10:24 am
The Dalai Lama thinks that “all the world’s major religions” emphasize “love, compassion, patience, tolerance.”
Doesn’t he keep up with the news?
We don’t arrive at the airport 3 hours ahead of our flight time because we fear being overwhelmed by love and compassion. If he thinks “all” the world’s major religions are so loving or compassionate, let’s talk about the 9/11 victims, or the Armenians, or the thousands of Europeans and Americans captured and enslaved by the Barbary Pirates.
Forgive my spasm of Political Incorrectness, but why exactly do so many people – including many Christians – pay any heed to this man? He praises Communism as “founded on moral principles” and on every social issue takes the liberal side, which explains his appeal to liberals, who threw a Nobel Prize his way, but I have yet to fathom why Americans in general think so highly of him. Take away the yellow robe and put him in a suit, and he could be just another liberal seminary prof spouting the usual platitudes, and ignored by the public.
Comment by Dan Trabue on September 21, 2012 at 10:44 am
but I have yet to fathom why Americans in general think so highly of him.
Well, for one thing, just in his few words here and your few words here, Dalai Lama the Buddhist has come across as more gracious and Godly than Ben, the Christian.
Until Christians start acting more like Christ and embracing the way of Christ, the public will very likely continue to find one like the Dalai Lama to more accurately embody the spirit of Christianity than many Christians.
Just sayin’.
Comment by Dan Trabue on September 21, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Setting aside the attacks on the man, for a second, what of the actual message (the one that the Prophet Amos offered and that appears to be echoed by the Dalai Lama)? Does anyone think that religious CAN get in the way of spirituality and following God? That seems to be at least one take-away from Amos’ message (and others like it).
Show me your faith by your actions, NOT your religiosity, says God through Amos, sort of echoing Jesus’ and Peter’s words later. Seems to be a message to the wise, whatever umbrages you may hold against the messenger.