I Wish That

I wish that
people who call themselves Christian
would understand that theirs is but one religion
and not the only religion
and that for any person to be free to follow any religion
all people must be free to follow all religions.

I wish that
people who call themselves Christian
would understand that what is written in the Bible
is not a rational explanation of the world
as it is today
but a running discourse
written by many hands
over many years
with many viewpoints
which do not always agree
with each other
and so it is not meant as a gavel
to be used in rational arguments
with rational people
to pronounce final judgments on
what they can and cannot do.

I wish that
people who call themselves Christian
would come to understand
that people who don’t believe the same things
that they believe
are not wrong
because
there is no way to pin down
right and wrong
when you are in the
imaginary realm
of faith.

I wish that
people who call themselves Christian
would look back at their own
cultural history
of persecution
and remember what it is like
to be on the wrong side
of powerful
and dogmatic popular opinion
and, rather than rejoice in the fact
that they are now strong enough
to persecute others
as they were once persecuted,
reflect on the fact
that once they were “wrong”
but now perhaps
only because of their numbers
they think are right.

I wish that
people who call themselves Christian
would see themselves
as but one pebble on the beach,
part of the interminable
dance
between the sand and the sea
but not
the builder or the mover
of time or the tide.

I wish.
And I pray.