I'm going to get very personal in this Sermon, as to the highly personal
nature of various cultural practices, especially religious practices and
customs. Because, as the title of this Sermon states, "Who is to Judge (the
actions, customs, beliefs and personal life of) another?"
And in explication of the issue here, what I want to point out is that,
from ancient Christian Spirituality to any rational and humane Spirituality of
today, the most admirable admonition of the Human Spirit has said to "accept"
and to "respect" another, as to Who and What an individual "is", because ONLY
that individual KNOWS the context, content, reason and purpose OF that
individual's Life......certainly NO ONE ELSE!
I was reminded of this basic scientific and Spiritual "law" (actually a
basic "Law" of God's Law of One) just the other day when I was in a
private-charity Social Services office and happened to recognize the context
of a client/applicant's situation. And what struck me was the realization that
these people (the charity's social workers) had not a clue as to what they
were dealing with. Because, this particular client's situation, within the
context of WESTERN society and culture (the nominal "reference" of values for
those social workers), WAS CERTAINLY ILLEGAL, IMMORAL AND PERVERSE! But, as I
have said, "Who is to Judge?" Another human being? One who does NOT KNOW the
context/content of another's Life (the person being "judged")?
Okay, let me explain the details here. First of all, let me merely state
that I was aware of this particular client's "situation" only by reason of the
fact that I had "been there" before, once upon a time (actually, my Soul, in a
previous incarnation), and I recognized the fact and the truth of that which I
saw, which, however, was not apparent to any others witnessing such. And what
I am specifically talking about here, as I remember it, and as it did so apply
to the context of the client's Life whom I beheld, was an ancient "law" and
custom OF the Persian (Iranian) Shiite Muslim religion.
Because the Social Services client whom I did see was an individual whom I
recognized as an Iranian Shiite Muslim "family" - actually, Father and Son.
And let me give some further background here first, as to why a Father and
Son, as Shiites, did constitute this "family". The very basic reason is that
the Shiites of Persia (actually, even going back into ancient history, a long
time before the late Persian or Ottoman empires) have always been the crux, or
focal point, of wars, animosities, and tragedy, throughout their long history.
Even today, Saddam Hussein, the ruler of Iraq (Shiite lands and territory
encompass both southern Iran and southern Iraq, in the marshlands and desert
expanses of both countries), a nominal member of the Sunni Muslim majority
sect of Iraq, has forever been waging war against the minority Shiites of his
southern territories (not too successfully, however, considering the
difficulties of modern war tanks, armor and personnel, in penetrating the
marshes of southern Iraq) and trying to drive them out of their ancestral
homelands.
Anyway, the point is that the Shiites have a long history of exposure to
war and persecution. So long, in fact, that "compensation", for certain
atrocities of war, has been incorporated into Shiite religious "law", from
ancient times unto today. And specifically what I refer to here, is the fact
that many Shiite families have been rent asunder by these forever atrocities
of war. Such that the female of the family (the wife, or spouse) of a
husband/father, has many times been killed, raped, abducted, carried off by
invaders, and so on, leaving the father alone with the remainder of his
family.
Anyway, the further point IS that Shiite law has thusly provided for such
cases (as well as for families who wind up bereft of fathers, rather than
mothers). And, as the title of this Sermon has so implied, "Who is to Judge?",
these people OTHERWISE, and other than their customs and religious laws have
so done and so provided for, WITHIN the context OF their Lives, and their
tragedies? And in this case, I am referring to a Shiite 'ecl'a family, which
is a family, according to Shiite law, in which the children of the family,
under such law, are obliged to take over the "duties" of the deceased parent.
The law applies to all children over 5 years of age and is all-inclusive as to
"duties".
In the case of the 'ecl'a family which I saw in the Social Services office
waiting room, it was most apparent (if not to others, at least to this
knowledgeable Soul), as to what the situation was. The family was a father and
young son, of about 6 years of age, and, as obviously shown by the actions of
the father, the son had been obliged to take over the "duties" of the wife, to
the husband/father, such that the son had now become the father's
"lover/spouse". And, of course, under Shiite law, such is permitted, to the
extent that the son is obliged to perform oral intercourse upon the father and
the father is permitted to perform anal intercourse upon the son. (In fact,
speaking of customs under certain religions and nationalities, I am also
reminded of the Polish mother who was yet breast-feeding her son of 12 years
of age. To many others, such an action/custom would certainly be considered
taboo!)
Now, of course, under Western and the religious laws of most other
religions, such acts are not only illegal but perverse, in effect constituting
sodomy and incest. BUT, in the context of Shiite law, such actions and the
resulting "family" become a necessity, as to the means of providing for, and
holding, the family together. And, surprisingly, from what examples I have
seen (in my "lifetimes"), such laws DO seem to work and they DO hold the
family together, providing for all members in their needs for love, security
and the other attributes of a family.
SO, who is to judge this "family"? Certainly NOT this humble Cleric of the
Ancient Order! As I have said, true Christian Spirituality (NOT of the
Christian "religion", but of the Christian SPIRIT!) would say, "accept" and
"respect", that which IS, and "judge ONLY for thyself ALONE - NOT for others!
In other words, Judge NOT, lest ye be judged YOURSELF (when and IF you apply
such "judgements" unto others IN THE NAME OF other than oneself, meaning with
respect TO a particular "law", custom or morality, which, as in the case noted
herein, might apply to such Western, Christian "religion", but certainly NOT
to Shiite Muslim law!)
So, again, remember - the admonition IS: "Judge NOT another, except for
thineself ALONE", as to what actions and responsibilities one may be obliged
to undertake, in accord with the Who and What which one IS, as the human being
that one was born to BE! Because, in the same vein (under the same Law), YOU
might ALSO be "Judged accordingly", and just maybe YOU would NOT be
"comfortable" EITHER, as that Shiite "family" would likewise certainly NOT
enjoy being "judged", as to THEIR humanity, NEITHER!
Aum, Peace, Amen. Reply to: fatherjeromeusa@fiwd.org
Jerome
Email to Website Operator: fatherjeromeusa@fiwd.org
