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Activism and Non-Resistance

Thrust back the evil of violence and set virtue on her seat again. ~ Bhagavad Gita

You may be familiar with this scenario: A mainline suburban church in financial straits plans a worship makeover to reach out to younger members. The pastor removes the U.S. flag from the sanctuary. The words “LGBTQ” and “global warming” appear in sermons and “gender orientation” is featured on the church website. Pastoral prayers, now addressed to “our Father/Mother God,” are meant to convey open-mindedness. All this inclusivity and diversity should entice young adult worshippers, right? If so, then why is it that this once strong and large congregation now may not survive? One critique of liberal Christian traditions is that they preach and teach a path to growth through works of justice. However, while many local congregations in these traditions engage in hands-on social justice issues and reform their worship to align with their mission commitments, they are not experiencing renewal. Perhaps the lack of transformation illustrates the failure of religious progressives to link works of contemplative action with active contemplation that is necessary for the integration of spiritual activism.

The first quality of integrated spiritual activism is satyagraha. Satyagraha is a word invented by Mahatma Gandhi and his followers. It is a synthesis of two words: the word satya means, “truth founded in love,” and the word agraha mean, “firmness, insistence and force.” Satyagraha means a force and a power born in truth and love. Gandhi used the word to describe non-violent resistance to bring about change. Gandhi sometimes called it “love force” or “soul force.” A satyagrahi is one who fights for the truth through non-violence.5 Satyagraha is close to the spirit of the Christian Gospel, though sadly not lived often enough. Satyagraha means clinging to truth, no matter what. Under no circumstances can a spiritual activist hide or keep truth from an opponent. The spiritual activist is obligated to be honest, open, and direct in dealings with opponents. No matter the cost, one must follow the truth, even as she or he endeavors to be truthful.

On one level, satyagraha is the means to eradicating injustice using soul force rather than through violence or physical force. A spiritual activist is not out to conquer but to convert; not to prevail, but to persuade. She endures with infinite patience and humility. She does not bulldoze others, but takes the way of self-suffering. Gandhi believed that the spiritual activist derives her power from God. Dependence on God will help the disciple of nonviolence to develop the courage and fearlessness needed both to stay the course and to wear down opponents in the social struggle with love.

For Gandhi, Jesus was a supreme non-violent resistor. Martin Luther King Jr. noticed the same thing. Through satyagraha, King found a new way to affirm the teachings of Jesus, which spoke well to his people in his time and to some of us beyond.

In our faith communities, what do we make of the ideas like the soul force of Gandhi and the political resistance of King? What do we do with love and nonviolence in a country where power-politics reign supreme in our institutions, including religious establishments? What do we do when many of our institutions, including religions, marginalize or silence the voice of dissent to protect the status quo? Of what relevance is satyagraha at a time when only certain, media-curated social crises tend to shock the moral sensibility of political, civic, business, educational and religious leaders?

Think about those who have been deeply wounded by life. Think of those who have suffered most terribly, those who flee their homes in the face of violence and brutality, or those who feel like outcasts because of the violence of betrayal, suspicion and hatred. Shame and duplicity are common experiences of many people affected by tragedy, violence, and fear. Victor Frankl, who chronicled his experiences as a Jewish prisoner in a concentration camp, observed three psychological reactions experienced by victims of violence:

An overwhelming sense of trauma and inability to come to terms with the horror.

A sense of apathy and despair that nothing can be done, and nothing will ever change.

Lastly and often later, feelings of moral deformity, hatred, bitterness, disillusionment, blame and an inability to relate or trust in humanity again.6

Spiritual activists insist that this is not a transcendent purpose for humanity. Violence begets violence. As Rabbi Brad Hirschfield points out,

The Bible never says we shouldn’t want revenge: wanting it is normal! Instead, it acknowledges that there is a real cost, even when something happens by accident. Indulging our inclination towards revenge is not such a good thing, however. The Bible tells us to be aware that while the urge for vengeance can be legitimate, acting on that urge is not.7

Spiritual activism liberates us from cycles in which violence beget violence. We are given a chance to disestablish cycles of revenge and brutality by participating in the suffering of God for the world.

In 2012, a friend invited me to see the opera Satyagraha by Philip Glass at the MET in New York City. After an exhausting week of ministry, I almost did not go. Since the orchestration is a tonal, repetitive poem that is close to four hours long, I worried I would fall asleep. But, as often happens, when we are least expecting it, we can get drawn into something life-altering and unforgettable; something so special that we long to hold onto the experience, repeat it, and remember it long after it is over. Yes, the music repeated itself, but in the way a beating heart is repetitive; like breathing in and breathing out; like waves of the sea revealing treasures in the sand. The music and images entered the audience’s blood stream. We inhaled it and grew with it like a prayer or meditation. Satyagraha was persuasively beautiful. I left the opera feeling hopeful. I left feeling transformed.

Occupy Wall Street activist Noah Fischer wrote about his experience at the same opera, but from the other side of the doors of the MET. After being evicted from Liberty Park, Occupy protesters looked for ways to promote their message in other public spaces. Fischer decided to gather with hundreds of protesters who assembled on the steps of Lincoln Center, blocked off from the plaza by police barricades and heavy NYPD presence. When a few who dared to cross the barricades were arrested, there were shouts of, “Shame, shame, shame!” from some of the protestors. Occupiers took off their shoes, a Gandhian symbol of dignity, standing barefoot on the cold pavement. As Satyagraha ended, the elegantly dressed audience exited into the plaza to see a barefoot protest at the bottom of the grand steps. Occupiers called out to opera-goers in unison to join the protest, but the sight of the NYPD barricades seemed to paralyze them. Philip Glass, who attended the performance that night, suddenly popped up in the Occupy Wall Street assembly to read a statement on the people’s mic. As Occupiers sat down, and the lights from a video camera illuminated his face, Glass called out the last lines of the opera, a passage from the Bhagavad Gita:

Mic check!

When righteousness withers away

And evil rules the land

We come into being

Age after age

And take visible shape

And move

A man among men

For the protection of good

Thrusting back evil

And setting virtue

On her seat again.

Fischer writes,

Chanting along with Glass, whose music had been the soundtrack to my childhood, I melted into the crowd, my body vibrating to the shared voice, deeply encouraged by this ancient text. When I looked up, the opera audience had joined us. The buffer zone was gone. We were one big crowd—the 100%! The physical NYPD barricades still stood among us, but they were no longer barriers, absorbed now into our big warm body. Until late into the night we held our general assembly. The police stood offstage, now relaxed. Two separate spaces had flowed into one, protesters had become people again, and the police could then be people too.8

For those who think that justice means injuring those who injure us, error can be corrected by error, or evil can be vanquished by evil, spiritual activism and non-resistance help us join in common aims. We thrust back evil, set virtue aright, and claim our ability to tear down the barricades that keep us from one another, as Jesus, Gandhi, Martin, and so many others began and continue to do.

For Conversation

Spiritual activists can feel frightened by the magnitude of people, events, and systems that threaten our well-being. Non-violence does not mean that we remain indifferent to the problems. Non-violence also fosters a sense of compassion and caring. However, what happens when it all becomes too much? We may shut down due to compassion fatigue — making too much emotional connection. Constantly serving the needs of others can exhaust us. One antidote is to cultivate an open heart. We can develop open-heartedness by allowing ourselves to fully experience the emotions rocking around inside. We focus goodwill toward ourselves with the following phrases:

May I be safe

May I be peaceful

May I be kind to myself

May I accept myself just as I am.

We can also ask some questions:

In what ways does my activism and contemplation foster fatigue or anger in my life?

In what ways does my contemplation and activism promote self-care, goodwill, energy, and compassion in my life?

For Active Contemplation

Rabbi Brad Hirschfield suggests an exercise in which activists see themselves in line with the traditions of mentors and champions.9 Find pictures of spiritual activists you admire. Fasten their photos on a wall — along with a mirror. As you look at those pictures, can you see yourself as a spiritual activist in the making, ready to be on the wall alongside those other images? If a mirror on the wall next to the photos is too public, get a small mirror, look into your own eyes, and ask yourself some simple questions before you get into bed at night or when you wake in the morning: “In what ways was I the person I most longed to be today? What helped me to get there? In what ways did I fall short? What do I need in my life to do better?” Instead of being a symbol for narcissism, the mirror becomes a sacred object. If we do this practice long enough and regularly enough, we will not only see ourselves in the mirror. We will see the image of God. We will begin making choices to benefit that person.

For Contemplative Action:

Get to know your Conflict Style

Spiritual activists will, no doubt, encounter conflict along the way. It is helpful to know how you handle conflict, and how members of your faith community deal with differences. Read each of the following statements and rate each response according to your most probable action or choice in each case. (1) will be your first choice, (2) will be your second choice, (3) will be your third choice, etc. Rank all five answers.

1. You are about to go into a public meeting in which a new policy will be offered where there is much disagreement. Your perspective to this policy is quite different than the rest of the community. Resistance to the majority will likely annoy many of the people there. You are most likely to:

1 Stand fast for your position.

2 Look for some middle ground.

3 Go along with the wishes of the majority.

4 Remain silent during the meeting.

5 Try to re-frame the issue so that all sides can be included in the solution.

2. I would say the following about differences:

1 Differences are to be expected and reflect the natural order: some have resources and others have none, some are correct, and some are wrong.

2 Differences should be considered with the common good in mind. At times parties are obliged to lay aside their own views in the interest of the majority.

3 Differences serve only to drive people apart and their personal implications cannot be ignored.

4 Differences reflect the basic attributes of people and are largely beyond influence.

5 Differences are a natural part of the human condition and are neither good nor bad.

3. I would say the following regarding the nature of conflict

1 Ultimately, right prevails. This is the central issue in conflict.

2 Everyone should have an opportunity to air feelings so long as they do not block progress.

3 Conflict requires self-sacrifice, the placing of the importance of continued relationships above one’s own needs and desires.

4 Conflict is one of the evils in human affairs and should be accepted.

5 Conflict is a symptom of tension in relationships, and when accurately interpreted, may be used to strengthen relationships.

4. I would say the following regarding the handling of conflict:

1 Persuasion, power, and force are all acceptable tools for achieving resolution and most expect them to be used.

2 It is never possible for all people to be satisfied. Resolving conflict means persuasion combined with flexibility.

3 It is better to ignore differences than to risk open conflict. It is better to maintain the basis of relationship than to risk it.

4 Impersonal tolerance is the best way to handle conflict.

5 Conflict resolution requires confrontation and problem solving, often going beyond the apparent needs and opinions of the parties involved.

Based on your answers, how would you identify your dominant conflict resolution strategies? Each of the lettered answers for questions 1-4 point to a common conflict resolution style:

1 Control or Competition (using power to win your position)

2 Compromise (finding moderate, mutually acceptable solutions)

3 Accommodation (neglecting personal outcomes for the sake of the other)

4 Avoidance (sidestepping, postponing, or withdrawing from conflict)

5 Collaboration (seeking assertive and cooperative settlements)10

You may find that one of these approaches is your dominant style. Are you satisfied with how you handle conflict? Are there skills you would like to enhance? How does your conflict resolution approach compare with others in your faith community? In what ways do your conflict resolution strategies enhance or subvert others in your group? 11

5 T.V. Philip, "Christian Spirituality (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)," Religion Online, http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1539.

6 Victor Frankle, Man’s Search for Meaning (New York: Pocket, 1959).

7 Hirschfield, Brad, You Don't Have to Be Wrong for Me to Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism (New York: Harmony, 2009), 65.

8 Fischer, Noah. "Occupying Tension," Inquiring Mind (2012), http://www.inquiringmind.com/Articles/OccupyingTension.html.

9 Hirschfield, 248.

10 For more explanation of these descriptions, see Norma Cook Everist, Church Conflict: From Contention to Collaboration (Nashville: Abingdon, 2004).

11 Adapted from S. Rice, Non-violent conflict management: Conflict resolution, dealing with anger, and negotiation and mediation (Berkeley: University of California at Berkeley, California Social Work Education Center: 2002).