See No Stranger

I’m currently reading See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love by Valarie Kaur. I’m only halfway through, but it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite books I’ve read this year.

Valarie Kaur is a civil rights activist, lawyer, and an award-winning filmmaker who is full of compassion and wisdom. Her book chronicles her own story of growing up in California and finding her place in the world as a Sikh American. From her response to the increased hate crimes to Sikh Americans after 9/11, to her work as an activist, to her own healing from an assault, Kaur challenges her readers that a revolutionary love can change the world. 

The title of the book comes from a well-Lovknown Sikh phrase. Kaur’s message is that we would not see one another as strangers, but instead see each other as a part of ourselves we do not yet know. 

At one point in the book, Valarie recounts stories of oppression and violence that she not only endured, but also saw among the Sikh community. In response, she stated, “There is no such thing as monsters in this world, only human beings who are wounded.” 

She goes on to explain that when we don’t see people and their wounds, it is easy to see them as less than human and become terrified of them. But once we do see both their and our wounds, we can start the process of healing. 

I have not been able to stop thinking about this phrase: “There is no such thing as monsters in this world, only human beings who are wounded.” 

She said that in reference to people who committed horrific acts of violence. It would be easy to call such people monsters. But she didn’t dehumanize them, she has compassion for them. What a beautiful and wise understanding of humanity.

As our world becomes more polarized, as it is easy to unfriend and block people on social media who hold different viewpoints, as acts of violence are streamed live online, and as we enter into the final months of the election season, I hope that instead of seeing others as strangers or even monsters, we see them as humans; human beings with wounds. 

Because if we are honest, we all have our wounds. Most of us keep them hidden and out of view of others. Yet, if we acknowledge that every person we encounter, including ourselves, is carrying some sort of heavy burden, a secret pain, perhaps we would become a more compassionate people. 

And maybe that in itself could be a healing balm for our world.

Comparing Cows and God

Comparing cows and God. Who does that? Meister Eckhart does.

Eckhart was a German theologian and Christian mystic who focused much of his writing on seeing God in all things. He lived in the lat 1200’s to early 1300’s and became pretty popular at the time. He’s one of those writers that a lot of people qoute. So, I thought I’d qoute him here, too, since I’ve recently started reading a book of his writings and teachings.

In one passage, comparing love for cows with love for God, he says,

“Some people want to see God with their eyes as they see a cow and to love God as they love their cow- they love their cow for the milk and cheese and profit it makes them. This is how it is with people who love God for the sake of outward wealth and inward comfort. They do not rightly love God when they love God for their own advantage.”

I find this to be an interesting comment on how we often view God. Most of us, if we’re honest, probably love God in hopes of getting things from God rather than loving God to get God.

There is a big difference between loving God to get God and loving God to get things from God.

And, as Eckhart points out, you don’t rightly love God when you love God for your own advantage. Something for all of us to think about, for sure. Hopefully, we love God to get God, get the Divine One, the Ultimate Reality, the Creator of All Creation, we love God to get Love.

A Theology of Love, Revolution, and Resistance

Thomas Merton is one of my favorite authors. I think you should read everything that man has written. I’m trying my best to do the same.

The following passage is pretty prophetic and shows that, for the Christian, love is more than some sentimental thing we preach and profess. It is, instead, a way of revolution and resistance.

“A theology of love cannot afford to be sentimental. It cannot afford to preach edifying generalities about charity, while identifying ‘peace’ with mere established power and legalized violence against the oppressed. A theology of love cannot be allowed merely to serve the interests of the rich and powerful, justifying their wars, their violence and their bombs, while exhorting the poor and underprivileged to practice patience, meekness, longsuffering, and to solve their problems if at all, non-violently.

"The THEOLOGY OF LOVE must seek to deal realistically with the evil and injustice in the world, and not merely compromise with them...A theology of love may also conceivably turn out to be a THEOLOGY OF REVOLUTION. In any case, it is a THEOLOGY OF RESISTANCE.”

from Faith and Violence (Notre Dame; University of Notre Dame Press, 1968), 8-9