Contempt prior to investigation.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation." 

 

That quote comes from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In that context, it's meant to encourage people to have an open mind about spirituality because the program depends on a spiritual path.

 

But there's wisdom here we can all agree with.

 

We shouldn't condemn what we don't understand. 

 

In fact, we should exercise extreme caution when condemning anything. 

 

Every day, though, I see people condemning things from a Christian vantage point that they don't even slightly understand. I've seen it in discussions between Christians who don't understand each other's doctrines even a little. But I've seen it more between people of different religions where mutual exclusivity is presumed, and we make assumptions about what it is other people actually believe and practice.

 

What I'm going to say next is going to make some of you uncomfortable.

 

But that's especially true when it comes to topics surrounding paganism or anything we consider to be "witchcraft."

 

Did you know that "wicca" is one of the fastest growing religions/spiritualities in the world today?

 

Don't cry about it. Don't freak out about it. Do better.

 

Ask the right questions.

 

What do these people actually believe? What's the basis for their practice? Do we have any common ground, a starting-point for conversation? What biases do we have about what they believe that aren't true?

 

For one, I find a lot of common ground with pagans in terms of our desire to care for creation. The world is a sacred place - because God made it!

 

In my experience, if we have a truly Biblical view of nature and creation (that God declared it "good" and created us as stewards of the world, as His primary representatives to care for creation) it's a great way to start a conversation. It's a common ground that can form a foundation of mutual respect between persons so that we can come to a greater understanding of one another.

 

The Biblical model for engaging people who have different religions already is to begin with common ground. That's what Paul does on Mars Hill. It's simple wisdom. You can't even begin to presume to lead someone anywhere unless you clearly see where they stand. You can't take someone on a journey if you don't respect the journey that they've taken so far...  

 

Otherwise you're likely to stumble and fall. And everything you have to say (from your position of imagined superiority) will fall on deaf ears.

 

Before you begin talking to anyone about what you believe, you should ask them about what it is they believe. What do we have in common? Are there differences, and what are they? Where there are differences can we find some kind of common ground, a thread of truth, that lingers behind these apparent differences?

 

You never get there when you condemn prior to investigation.

 

Because people who practice modern "Wicca" for example aren't at all like the practitioners condemned in Leviticus under the blanket-term translated as "witchcraft." The Canaanites practiced human sacrifice. Their practices were an abomination at every level.

 

The primary human "organ" that shows our love isn't the mouth. It's the ears.

 

Listening to people doesn't mean we agree with everything they believe... but listening shows people that we care about them personally.  

 

The point of the Bible isn't to give you a basis to shout condemnations at other people. If you really love people, you need to hear them. You need to know what's in their heart. You need be willing to listen to their perspectives. Even when you disagree.

 

You can't lead someone anywhere if you don't know where they're at right now.  

 

That's the only way anyone will ever listen to you or take your views seriously. And it's the only way you'll understand where they're at spiritually.

 

If you want to be heard, you must first learn to hear.  

 

If you can't do that, if you can't give people an honest ear, then you shouldn't talk to them about spiritual matters at all.

 

Because too many times we hear someone call themselves a "witch" and we immediately think of curses, hexes, green women with warts and crooked noses, etc. We certainly can't embrace spellcasting and fortune telling - but maybe that's not the best place to begin our conversation (especially if we don't understand it).

 

Truth is, there's a practice a lot of Christians engage in that's not all that unlike what a lot of pagans do with Tarot Cards. It's called "Bibliomancy." It's the practice of opening the Bible, flipping through it and while they pages are fluttering, you insert a finger and read the verse.

 

That's not the way the Bible is supposed to be read. It's not the way the Spirit inspired the Scriptures. It's a great way to take the Bible out of context, though. And it's really not that different than what happens with Tarot cards and other kinds of fortune telling.

 

The point is that we need to focus on what we share before we move on to what separates us from other people and their worldviews. We need a shared understanding and respect so we can earn the right to speak to them more deeply about more pivotal spiritual issues - like the Gospel.

 

This isn't just true about people who practice pagan religions. It has to do with people who have philosophies in the world that lead them to lifestyles you don't understand.

 

Do not treat with contempt someone whose story you don't understand? What have they gone thorough? How have people hurt them in the past? How have they suffered for what you've so casually decided to condemn?

 

You need to know all of this if you want to engage people on a meaningful level.

 

I believe we should have conversations with people who don't share our faith. Remember a conversation requires we use our ears, not just our lips. We need to hear people out. We need to understand who they are, and what brought them to the place they're at in life, before we dismiss them out of hand.

 

I know this is hard to do. Especially when people start using words like "witch" or whatever. Because we've been conditioned based on church culture to shudder, run, and hide, in response to words like that.

 

The point is that we can only know how to share our faith with people if we truly understand where they're at. That means avoiding contempt prior to investigation. 

 

Because when we express such contempt people hear that as a contempt for them... not just their views.

 

If people think you're judging them before you really know who they are, what they care about, or know much about their story and where they are on their journey... they'll never listen to a word you say after that.

 

I could boil this down to a very simple principle, really.

 

Don't be a jerk.

 

I'd put it more bluntly than that, but I try not to curse on these e-mails.

 

Let's say it like this... don't be a donkey orifice.

 

This isn't a defense of "Wicca" by any means. I just used that as an example. The same rule applies to people have who philosophies we don't understand, experiences we don't resonate with, like struggles with sexualities that don't conform to the Biblical standard. We might realize quickly that they aren't in tune with the Bible's teaching... but until we've heard their whole story, their struggle, we won't be able to know exactly where their brokenness lies.

 

Because behind every sin is a deeper-seated insecurity, a flaw, or a wound. When we jump on the specific sin (the symptom) straight away, we'll never get to the real issue... and the Gospel isn't about wiping away specific sins, it's about saving the entire person, healing the deepest of our wounds.

 

Remember, everyone is on a journey. We don't know where people are in their journey. We shouldn't try to force people to get to the "climax" or the "resolution" of their stories when they aren't there yet. The story needs to play out. And the only way you'll be a character in someone else's story that makes a difference (rather than a background extra) is if you open your ears and lead with love.

 

Blessings,

Judah