Francis Gonsalves

There’s this fable about Jesus going to a football match between the “Catholic Conquerors” and “Protestant Punchers”. Both teams were excellent and the match was exciting. The Conquerors scored a goal first. Jesus jumped up, whistled wildly and applauded appreciatively. Then, the Punchers scored. Again, Jesus jumped up, whistled and clapped riotously. This puzzled a man behind him who tapped him and queried: “Which side are you shouting for?” “Me?” asked Jesus, and replied, “I’m not shouting for any side. I’m here to enjoy the game!” At this, the questioner turned to his neighbour and sneered, “Hmmm, look at that atheist!”
I love football, though I’m undecided which country I am supporting in the present Fifa world cup since my incredible India features nowhere among the best of footballing nations. But, favourite teams and football apart, if Jesus, Ram, Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak or any devas, devis, tirthankars or jivanmuktas were asked which group they were for, and which they were against, would they choose a few and condemn all others? I think not. Yet, that’s what many of us, believers, believe.
The word “religion” is derived from the Latin religare meaning “to bind”. More than any other realm of human life, religion is the numero uno “binder” since it gives cohesion and meaning to all other spheres of human activity, and, by its very nature, deals with Ultimate Truth. But, much as religion binds, it also blinds. This happens when religionists deceive and divide people by concocting labels of high-low, pure-impure and saintly-sinner. And God help you if you don’t use labels and take sides — like Jesus at the football match you’ll be branded an “atheist”.
Competition is the stuff of world cup and Commonwealth Games. No competition, no fun. Agreed. But when competition spills over into the field of religion and quite literally becomes “cut-throat”, then something’s wrong somewhere. Cain murdered his brother Abel (Genesis 4:1-16) because he thought that God loved Abel and loathed him. Cain was blinded by some kind of “religious rivalry” believing God to be on Abel’s side only.
Religious rivalry can be seen at the communitarian and individual levels. At the corporate level, one religious group could feel that it is superior to the others and boast: “My God is bigger than yours!” At the individual level, Jesus narrated a parable of two people who went to the temple to pray: a Pharisee (i.e., one who meticulously observed religious laws) and a tax-collector. The Pharisee prayed loudly: “God, I thank you that I’m not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector”. He then bragged about the many good deeds he’d done. By contrast, the tax-collector bowed his head and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:9-14). God loved the latter.
Holier-than-thou attitudes are often found among religious people. And this has led to the greatest divides and bloodiest wars in history — all fought in God’s name! What we urgently require is not mere tolerance but recognition of the beauty of religions other than our own. In a round-table discussion, when the Dalai Lama was asked by theologian Leonardo Boff: “Your holiness, which is the best religion?” he answered, “The best religion is the one that brings you closer to God and makes you a better person”.
Remember, religion is “man-made”, in the sense that it is the human expression of the God-experience. And since it is but human expression — in creedal formulae, cultic actions and ethical codes — it’s bound to be limited and imperfect. Ultimately, God is always bigger and better than anything we can ever imagine. Sant Kabir succinctly said, “My Lord hides Himself, and my Lord wonderfully reveals Himself”. So, let me not think that I know God fully, and believe God’s only in my team and against all others.
The Rig Veda asserts: “Ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti” (Though it is One, the wise call Him diversely). That One has woven a beautiful principle of diversity into the universe. Events like the Fifa World Cup and the Commonwealth Games make us aware of our dazzling diversity. Let’s delight in diversity. And, of course, applaud and shout for all those who respect differences. Long live differences! Vive la différence!

— Francis Gonsalves is the principal of the Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi. He is involved in interfaith dialogue and peoples’ initiatives for fostering justice, harmony and peace. He can be
contacted at fragons@gmail.com