Since we moved to North Carolina nearly 15 years ago a number of times I have had occasion to interact with Southern Baptists. As with all religions in all parts of the world, there are some closed-minded fanatics and Baptists are not unique in that regard. However, I have experienced what feels like a disproportionate number of Baptists with some characteristically wonderful qualities. In this day and age, generalizing about any social subgroup is a bit risky, but people need to face that there are such demographic tendencies we need to acknowledge lest we bury our heads in the sand.
Firstly, I have noticed a great deal of purity and innocence from many Baptists. Note that by innocence I mean the opposite of fanatical or closed. Secondly, I have experienced a great deal of warm-hearted kindness from many Baptists. I remember being in the checkout counter at WalMart… The older white haired lady behind the counter was incredibly sweet, open, and loving. Her sincere “God bless you” as we said goodbye was pure hearted, beautifully touching, and characteristic of my experience with so many Baptists.
However, the final point is the one I find most compelling. I have on three separate occasions had long discussions with Baptist ministers all sharing one common thread. Recently, it was with a man sitting next to me on my flight home from the San Francisco class. He boarded the plane with a fiddle case under his arm, string tie around his neck, and cowboy hat upon his head.
My first words to him were to pull out his fiddle and play us all a tune, which in a most abstract sense, is exactly what happened. He reached out his hand and introduced himself with two initials followed by his last name. As is my way, I could not help the discussion going from southern gospel music to music in harmony with the laws of nature of the land that birthed it, to cultural integrity and tradition which upholds living in harmony with nature.
He was clearly open to my words and wanting of more. After telling me he was a Baptist minister, I covered everything from the manifestation of existence, to free will versus predetermination, to Darwinism versus creationism. I was touched by the depth of his pondering and lifelong pursuit of the deeper meaning of life as expressed through the Bible. He was very open to the notion that since the Bible had so many times been interpreted, translated, revised, and rewritten mostly 400 years after the passing of Christ, my oft used line that, ‘When the Master speaks it immediately ceases to be what the Master said and becomes what the listener heard’ was important. The quote, I believe, even thrilled him.
Now do not misunderstand me. His devotion to Christ and the Bible was great and unquestionable. He is a wonderful man who goes to Africa every fall to do missionary work and speaks beautifully of the people there. He is a deep thinker. He looks deeply into the Bible to find the gemstones of Truth in it, though they be hidden from so many that read the book. At the end of the flight, he thanked me for clarifying so many things for him. When I told him how much he was helping so many people, he seemed moved as if it were something he was not even aware of… adding in my mind to the affirmation of purity and innocence he lived. He asked for this website address which I provided.
I trust that he is reading this blog and would like to say to him, “My congratulations and thanks for a life well lived.”
It would be so wonderful if we could all interact with each other this way, finding common ground and being curious of our differences. Thank you so much, Brhamarshi, for sharing the lovely experience. It’s just this way of approaching life and others that I aspire to.
I felt honoured and moved to witness your exchange with this Baptist minister and missionary. I was equally honoured when you introduced me to him as your student. It was so humbling and moving to be able to connect with the genuine reverence and spiritual conviction you both shared and felt so deeply….and on top of that to reconnect with my Baptist upbringing and cultural base. So much from this life, my childhood and spiritual lineage of devotion came together in that moment…. Whew….almost too much to fully feel.
For many decades I tried to convey the spiritual values, the angle on humility and basic human respect I sensed from the Kentucky Baptists I grew up with, and you just conveyed it all in a few paragraphs. You honour my grandmother(s), my aunt, my family and my cultural home.
There are so many things to thank you for, but in this moment I can’t thank you enough for this.
I agree with Cheri. Thank you for sharing that story.So many times the simplest of lessons of life..bring up the deepest of emotions.My experience with a baptists church was much less than positive.As I have stated before..you have taught me so much on how to honor and speak to others with openness and less judgement.That alone is a wonderful gift.
Simply beautiful
Thank you
Jai Guru Dev!
Very profound, thank you for sharing
I admit…I cried a bit (wait, I’m a man…I mean, I teared up a bit) when I read this blog post…and then cried/teared up a little more when I read Billy’s comments. Thank you, Brahmarshi. And the tears were because…oh, there’s a good exploration…
Bravo, Bravo…
This was so sweet to read, it really brought me to a peaceful place. It was like lyrical music. Jai Guru Dev, Donna
What an interesting experience this blog created for me….now newly married and being introduced to the South (South Carolina) and the Southern Baptist religion. I have been attending services of a rather large and expansive church in Mt. Pleasant and have found them to be beautifully open and divinely inspired. The music has been the greatest shift for me – actually enjoying the contemporary Christian music played live on stage and the production values of the lessons each week….a far cry from Mount Soma, but still an “in” to the essence of life from another angle…an angle new to me and opening me from a hidden space. Yes, I teared as well…:) …I almost always do as I read your blogs….lots of love, admiration and thankfulness for all that you have done and contniue to do for my journey..
Shippee!
Sounds like you are doing well and I am happy for that. Your visit to Mount Soma is overdue. I expect you and your wife to arrive here before the first snowflake falls.
Consider it done….