A healing view of the ‘other’

On Oct. 7, the same day Hamas launched an attack on Israel, I was finishing a book on the Crusades written by a celebrated Lebanese author. The book recounts the Crusades as seen by Arabs, with the author quoting extensively from Muslim historians of that period. It illustrates how the Arab view of that time differs markedly from the Western view, which is still influencing events today.

This left me pondering how we perceive the “other,” especially in the context of the Middle East.

That adherents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam trace their history back to Abraham is often referenced as a unifying common element. But I’ve found myself especially inspired by something Jesus said: “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58).

Jesus was referring not to himself as a human being, but to the Christ, the divine nature that he exemplified. The reference to “I am” brings to mind another figure who is important to these three religions – Moses. When Moses was instructed by God to liberate the children of Israel from their enslavement, he asked what he should tell them God’s name is. He was told, “I AM THAT I AM” (Exodus 3:14).

Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer of Christian Science, put forth a view of the divine I AM’s creation – which includes all that truly exists – that is a helpful foundation for peace. She wrote in “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” “Being is holiness, harmony, immortality” (p. 492). And in the same book, “Man is the expression of God’s being” (p. 470).

This is a profound insight into spiritual identity. While each individual has a history, language, and culture to be valued, what most fundamentally defines us is a “pre-existence” with God. This is not an alternate life, but rather an eternal, spiritual coexistence with God, good – in which we are at one with this one divine source, and therefore at one with each other. In truth each of us is a unique spiritual expression of universal qualities of God, such as joy, intelligence, kindness, and generosity. This fact of spiritual existence predates all human history, including King David, Jesus, Muhammad, and the Crusades.

This gives us a solid basis from which to lift our thought above limiting perceptions that fuel distrust, hate, and violence to a higher view – the spiritual reality, in which we’re all children of God, all brothers and sisters. Though it’s not always easy, especially when the “other” has acted cruelly – whether 10 centuries ago or just last month – we can rely on this absolute truth to elevate our view of the “other” in ways that further healing.

Some years ago someone close to me was killed through wanton violence. While that indeed was a challenging time, I knew that for the good of myself and of those around me I had to not dehumanize the aggressor. That would only have dehumanized me, which would not have brought healing.

Instead, I strove to see the heinous act as distinct from the person’s real, spiritual individuality – that is, who they are independent of human history. That didn’t make that act any more acceptable; indeed, eventually the aggressor was rightly brought to trial and found guilty. It was just that I wanted to see the person the way God sees every one of us, as spiritual and good and created to love, rather than simply writing off the aggressor as a monster.

Thinking about how God sees His children also helped me understand that I can never truly be separated from the person who was killed, because their true, spiritual nature can never be destroyed but is always at one with God, good, as we all are. This one God brought me peace and kept me from falling prey to thoughts of hate and revenge. I harbor only the profound desire that the aggressor gain self-awareness and genuinely reform.

The idea that there is only one God is so essential to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Christian Science it’s understood that inherent in having one God, good, is the power to heal. To again quote Science and Health, “One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself;’ annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, – whatever is wrong in social, civil, criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man, and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed” (p. 340).

Healing is clearly needed in the Middle East. But we need not despair. Having one God, one great I AM, who is the divine Parent of all of us, helps us see the “other,” too, as children of God. This is a powerful starting point for nurturing peace in our own hearts. That peace can enable us to strive to honor those apparently lost by bathing the inner wounds of others with Love’s healing balm. Truly, our own peace can help bring peace to the world.