Compassionate Communication

In "Reclaiming a Sense of the Sacred" Marilynne Robinson defines the way interpretations of religion and science impact each other in relation to literature. We've all heard this argument many times before, but I like her perspective as a creative writing perspective because her support was based on the importance of being well read and understanding the implications and reasons for religious texts. She uses what is familiar and dear to her in order to represent her belief and reconciliation with God in a world that wants to ignore Him. I thought this was an effective article and it caused me to reflect on the fact that just as there are countless religious perspectives and denominations, there are likewise disagreements in the scientific world. Science, just like religion, is the search for truth. Humanity has a difficult time agreeing on the exact definitions of truth, so just because something is "science" does not automatically mean it is fact.

In engaging about beliefs, I think that it may be important to establish your own beliefs. For example, I could quickly tell that Robinson is Christian, but I am not sure which denomination, which would have been helpful for me to more fully understand her perspective. In a conversation, it is equally important to listen to and understand the other's position and beliefs so that you're not shooting in the dark either. Anger and righteous indignation should be avoided. No matter how "right" you may be, no one will want to even consider accepting your beliefs if you beat your audience over the head without stopping to listen to their concerns. I've experienced this several times with my oldest well-meaning but over-protective sister who didn't want me to make certain decisions, but because she so forcefully told me my only option, I resisted even though part of me knew she was right. And then she rubs in the "I told you so"s when things go wrong and that makes me resist even more (just to make things clear, I love my sister with all my heart and I know that she only does this because she loves me so much. Like all family relationships, it's just complicated). This is why humility, compassion, and an even-keeled demeanor are crucial to exploring differences and representing personal beliefs.

A film that I believe explores personal religious beliefs with sophisticated compassion would be Terence Malick's The Tree of Life. He basically presents his Catholic view of the Plan of Salvation but without arrogance or heavy-handedness. None of his characters are vilified but simply presented as human, with all the complexities, virtues, and imperfections this condition creates. This compassionate treatment of his characters allows for a more compassionate and humble analysis of the meaning of the film. In my opinion, this film is a pretty darn good representation of personal belief.