It’s so wonderful that the jury was able to fund your project! Your post proves that efforts and persistence in re-applying can be very rewarding. Thank you for sharing your joy with us. All the best for your upcoming project! — Ontario Arts Council.

Thank you, Daphnee! It’s so affirming to be supported by such an amazing program. The OAC gives creators like me one more reason to keep pressing on. It truly is a rewarding experience.

Congrats, Claudia! Great post, too! I noticed myself skipping wildly across the rest of your post, to see what the surprise was about. Well captured your emotions!

Thank you!

I think I try to ignore my canknots out of laziness. To deal with them will take an extra measure of self-realization, surrender and discipline.

Most definitely.

I think a lot of people confuse “faith” with “blind obedience” or “blindly going along”. They confuse being “a person of faith” with being a “fanatic”. They confuse deeply religious people with people who are blind to the possibility that other religions are just as valid as theirs.

Unfortunately, not all of the people who confuse these things are atheists or prejudiced against one religion or another. A lot of them are. But a lot of people who get these terms mixed up are people who call themselves “religious” or “people of faith” and then act in a way that shows them to be quite the opposite. And this feeds into the beliefs of those who have an anti-religion agenda.

People are strange creatures.

You’re absolutely right. Sometimes people of faith don’t understand what being a person of faith means and they behave absolutely contrary. And yes, that’s the human condition for ya.

great post,. i read it here in Taiwan. I coined the term FAITHISM to mean something a bit different, have you seen my definition and blog yet? google “danny bloom + faithisim” to see my work on this so far. I am Jewish. I believe most Christians are faithists, as are too many Jews and all Moslems as well. TO me faithism means prejduice towards those who have another faith. and the beief that your fatith is superior to all others. Which is wrong. there is but one God and this god has many mansions and they all lead to grace and redemtpipn and if you dont believe this you missed the real message of your prophet. DANNY

Is ‘faithism’ as dangerous as ‘racism’?

……If racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination, then faithism is the belief that belief in different gods or Gods justifies spiritualism discrimination in terms of who goes to heaven and who goes to hell, among other religious beliefs. In the modern English language, the term “racism” is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. I am using “faithism” here as a pejorative epithet.

Just as racism is applied to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature (i.e. which harms particular groups of people), so too can faithism by used to justify claims of religious superiority by recourse to fathists’ holy books and scriptures. And while racism is popularly associated with various activities that are illegal or commonly considered harmful, such as extremism, hatred, xenophobia, separatism, racial supremacy, mass murder (for the purpose of genocide), genocide denial, vigilantism (hate crimes, terrorism), so too can faithism be associated with similar activities that are illegal or commonly harmful.

Racism is not always a pernicious practice. Sometimes it was practiced with benign and benevolent intentions and even with religious blessings. In the same way, faithism is not always a pernicious practice. While harmful (but not illegal), faithism is often practiced with the best of noble intentions and as part of a religious command from elders in one’s faith community.

According to the United Nations conventions, there is no distinction between the term ”racial discrimination” and ”ethnicity discrimination’.” At this point in human history, the U.N. has not tackled the issues of faithism that impact peoples around the world, but the global body is slowly moving in that direction.

In politics, racism is commonly located on the far right due to the far right’s common association with nativism, racism, and xenophobia. However, racism has occurred in progressive politics such as the historical concept of the so-called ”White Man’s Burden” espoused by the British writer Rudyard Kipling that claimed that whites had a moral obligation to bring civilization to allegedly barbaric “savage” non-white societies that were deemed as backward in comparison to white societies. In addition, benevolent and liberal men such as John
Stuart Mill once denounced Hindu civilization in India as a backwards feudal society and said that Europeans were superior in terms of development of civilization to Hindus, thus legitimizing the right of the British to imperial rule in India.

In much the same way, faithism has been used by those on the far right to belittle and discriminate against faith communities that didn’t share the same belief in selected gods or Gods. In some tragic instances of history, such beliefs led to murder, pogroms and mass genocide in such places as Germany in the 1940s and Africa in the late 20the Century and early 21st Century.

But faithism is not always malevolent. Sometimes it is the result of poor education or little misunderstandings based on mis-interpreted or mis-translated scriptural passages.

Does faithism exist today? Sure. Does it exist in America? Sure. Does it exist in the rest of the world? For sure. Does it impact you at all? Tell me.

Does faithism cause harm today to minority faith communities around the world that do not benefit from media backing and sponsorship? Sure it does. Tell me what you know.

*
Bloom is Taiwan bureau chief for San Diego Jewish World. He may be contacted at [email protected]

Short URL: http://www.sdjewishworld.com/?p=24877

Posted by admin on Feb 21 2012. Filed under Bloom_Danny, Jewish. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry 2 Comments for
“Is ‘faithism’ as dangerous as ‘racism’? Columnist seeks input”danny bloom
February 21, 2012 – 7:11 pm
Princeton professor reads this and tells me: ”Well written, Mr Bloom, but there’s a difference. For the racist, the enemy can’t reform by joining the favored people. A black person can’t convert to white-ism. But in faithist Imperial Russia, for example, Jewish converts could rise to the highest offices. Faithism can be a way to coerce joining the group, as in the pressure on Christians in some Muslim states today, not to keep them subordinate. (Actually in the Balkans, Turkish rulers sometimes made it hard for Christians to convert, but that was mainly to be able to continue collecting higher taxes. It wasn’t that they were thought incapable of being Muslims.) Of major faiths, only Zoroastrians are truly faithist in banning converts and in not recognizing children of mixed marriages as members of the community. But Zoroastrians have not had any political power for at least 1200 years. So while racist and faithist rhetoric may often be similar, there is a difference between rejecting somebody’s perceive innate qualities and their choice of belief.”

Reply Hamish MacDonald
February 22, 2012 – 2:21 am
I grew up in Presbyterian churches in Canada, which were generally a loving and benign environment, but it galls me now to remember the way we were taught as children that other faiths — sorry, “myths”, as they were called, as if ours wasn’t a myth — were faulty, illogical (!), and required our intervention, lest the practitioner follow his or her error all the way to a literal Hell.

Today I’m told there’s a larger, more pluralistic attitude, that there could, perhaps, be different faces of the same God. But to the point of this article, I think that you make a good argument, and that we would do well to un-conflate faith and race, and examine our prejudices about both.

And this cuts both ways: there’s a groundswell of support for a very materialistic sort of atheism at the moment. Inherent in that is a scornful dismissal of people of any faith, as if belief in anything beyond a scientifically reducible world is childish and imbecilic (though this insistence on science as the ultimate lowest common denominator is usually held by non-scientists; those at its outer reaches communicate with far more wonder and openness, and far less certainty).

Faith only becomes a problem when it insists itself upon others, when it shifts from the personal realm and starts seeking conversion, unchallenged acceptance, empire. As the professor said above, at least race is free from proseltysation.

YES!
Thank you for articulating it like this. As one who is a King fan, and has read most, and owns many, of his books, you have captured much of what I appreciate about him. There are plenty of authors who can write books that scare me but he always seems to engage me and make me feel like I’m sitting down next to him.
And yes, On Writing has a prominent place on my shelf as well, although I am certainly not as accomplished a writer as you.

I adore this post! Yes, yes, and yes.

Great post, Claudia! But if you do get a chance to see Stephen King in person, go for it. Saw him do an onstage interview when he was getting an award at Harbourfront author event a few years ago and he’s just as wise, funny and real in person. He does not disappoint! And I read On Writing every year, too. Your post has made me want to read it a little earlier than normal this year!

Superb posting, I share the same views. I wonder why this particular world truly does not picture for a moment like me and also the blog site creator

Awesome post! Great advise and wisdom from you. Missed you at the tweetup.

Great post, Claudia. I’m going to re-read it a few times and digest.

Good advise Claudia. Perserverence is tough!

Claudia…join us on our dream seeking mission…B&B Garden Party Writer’s Weekend Workshop, in Guelph, this July, details…http://blahblahblaahblogger.blogspot.com. A weekend with Lorin will get you on your way…trust me. J

The garden party sounds super, Jackie. Won’t be able to make it this time (again) but I’d recommend it to anyone else looking for an inspiring and equipping weekend.

I loved this post Claudia!!! Your post encouraged
me at a time when I needed it.

Need that post today. Thanks for writing it.

I love this post. Don’t we all vow to develop ourselves, and then the requirements of life squeeze it back out of us, often before we can even carve out 1/2 hour to try!
And yeah,… Sometimes you’re just too tired.

I found this so inspiring! Even when I have time to write, I still give in to the demands of family etc. Thanks for reminding me to focus on my creative self. And good luck with your writing, Claudia.

Good post. Finding the balance is so hard. I found asking for the time to write from my hubby, so he could watch the kids while I write, to be hardest of all. But he is so supportive and is happy to help and it lets me write ‘guilt-free’ on the days we set aside for that.

Wonderful post.

I am reminded of a conversation I once had with a published author about his (at the time) most recent book. It had seemed to me that there were some messages embedded deep within the story, as if the story was hinting at something, and I asked him if he believed those things and had been trying to say those things.

His answer was that he actually disagreed with some of what was there – but that those questions and answers and ideas were clearly where the story needed to go. That more important than communicating any “message” was the telling of a good story.

Everything must serve the art. Everything must serve the story.

Thank you for reminding me of this.

That’s a great example, Ishta. Art mirrors life; it’s not life itself. I don’t think the purpose of art is to offer answers to life, but to identify with it and bring to light some of the struggles and questions, hopes and dreams we all have. Because, really, we’re all part of one big cosmic story, aren’t we? Our situations are all different but the basic emotions we have are the same – again, expressed differently. But knowing you’re not alone in whatever you’re feeling offers hope. And offering hope is different than offering answers.

Not sure if you want to hear from me, but I came across this and found it interesting. It’s from “Days of Praise”
The Poetry of God
March 18, 2010

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

The word “poem” is derived from the Greek poiema. Used only twice in the New Testament, it refers to two great works of God Himself. Thus, God is the divine poet who has created two great masterpieces–artistic creations of marvelous intricacy and surpassing beauty.

The first is the entire physical universe: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). In this key verse, poiema is translated “things that are made.” Everything in the universe, animate and inanimate, constitutes a marvelous product of God’s creative forethought and inventive skill. If a beautiful poem requires a poet to create it, so much the more does the complex cosmic poem of the universe demand a great poet of consummate wisdom and infinite power. The rejection of the poet and the message of the poem not only leaves one “without excuse” (v. 20), but facing “the wrath of God” (v. 18).

Yet an even more amazing poem is the work of transforming redemption accomplished in a lost soul saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). For then it is we, ourselves, who become His poem! This also is a great creative masterpiece, for “we are his workmanship |same word, Greek poiema|, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” A life once dead in sin, now born again and walking in good works–this is God’s greatest poetic masterpiece of all!

Both the mighty universe and the soul made new in Christ are special creations of God, and both manifest His greatness and His love. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15) of grace. HMM

Print this article | More Days of Praise articles

Your article definitely has got me thinking about the purpose of art!

Claudia! How I love when people post a blog that leaves no room in my head but thoughts of it and my own deep soul searching! Thanks to you, this is what I thought about all day – and because it’s what I thought about all day I’m afraid I may have a long and winded response, which I hope you will humor me with. First off, let me say that I ‘think’ I agree with a lot of what you are saying. Haha. I say ‘think’ because I am desperately wanting your blog post to be a conversation over coffee where I can ask for clarification on a few things and dig deeper. Alas, I will start with my long response and we can hopefully go from there! Here we go: I am in total agreement that “ideally art should be an authentic expression otherwise it will seem contrived”. Yes, absolutely. The very definition of art is: the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power. Unfortunately, art is also subjective. I can list a few things that I would see as “pure art” based on the beauty I see or the emotions it evokes in me, but another person would disagree with me and think it’s contrived. You stated: “When we become absorbed with making sure we always include this, this, and this into our art from our repertoire of personal belief, our art is going to suffer. Why? Because we are more concerned about telling the things we believe to be true than we are about showing the things in our heart.” I get this! Art should flow out of the genuine expression of the heart. And, for me, the things in my heart are also the things I believe to be true. If I am unable to express that through my art then I am not being authentic in my art (my writing). Therefore, for a lot of the stories I write, the message and my heart are the same and therefore my authentic expression. Okay, I am finding it hard to agree completely with the following statement and I think, perhaps, it is the way I am reading it: “The best art honors humanity as a whole and identifies with more than just a select group of people. The best art serves to expand and enhance viewpoints; to add beauty and value to the world, to our lives; to entertain and increase joy; to create a sense of solidarity among the human race.” I agree that there is great art that does this (create a sense of solidarity) but if we were only to create art that could be agreed on would that not be boring? Where is the honoring of diversity, the respecting of another opinion, how can we grow as humans without challenging each other in areas of thought and creativity? Again, perhaps this was what you were trying to say and I am just not reading it that way. I do not think the statement "[Chirstian art’s] main goal has been to be 'set apart' in the creative arena" is necessarily true (it may be for some). For me, my main goal as a Christian writer or writer who is Christian is to use art so as NOT to be SET APART or cloistered in modern monastic communities. I want to be included in all of the conversations going on. Because the Christian voice is also part of humanity and has a right to be heard if it is said in an authentic, genuine, respectful, effective and gracious way and that is my goal. One of my favorite authors is C.S. Lewis who used the arts creatively to communicate so clearly!!! I think the problem is when Christians who are artists try to write like/sound like/be like someone that is popular among the non-Christian streams and then tack on Jesus as an afterthought just to prove a point. One more and I’m done ..."So, for the sake of your art; for the sake of all that is valuable, authentic, and meaningful; for the sake of your readers, watchers, and listeners: don't let message take the driver's seat. Confine it to the back. Better yet: take it hostage and let it ride in the trunk." If art doesn’t have a message that the artist is trying

Wow, Jordan. Yeah, we should go for a drink to discuss 

There is such a fine, fine line between message and authentic expression since message is such a deep part of who we are. So let me try my best to touch on a couple of the points you made above:

When I speak of solidarity among the human race I’m not saying we should all create art that should be agreed on, because that deals primarily with our minds and we all know that’s a futile exercise – to ever try to have everyone in agreement. What I’m referring to is the solidarity of our most basic instincts: that we realize we can all related together when it comes to matters of the heart. For example: I can read a book written by an atheist and have it speak to my depression; I can be comforted knowing I’m not alone and it can give me hope that I will be able to deal. Doesn’t mean I have to agree with the author’s atheism, even though they have written the book from that viewpoint. Or I can listen to a song by someone who denounces the Christian faith and that song brings me to tears because it is so powerful in its presentation of the need for justice and peace in the world. Doesn’t mean I’m denouncing Jesus just because I love that song. Does that make sense? The best art defies the ways humans separate themselves by penetrating those barriers to find a commonality.

I’ve had many times where I’m writing and I’ll switch from heart to head and just write what I think. Great chunks of it sometimes. And I even think it’s pretty good! But knowing I switched to brain mode at that point is my cue to revise and change it, and start focusing on the characters; their responses, their feelings, their reactions. After all, the book isn’t about me – it’s about them. Maybe I even have to cut out some of the blatant wordage that I think is so great because my character would never say something like that. I’m not saying to conceal message, I’m saying that it will come out naturally and not to be overly concerned that it won’t come out exactly the way YOU would say it. I’ve had characters say and do things that are contradictory to my own personal beliefs. But that’s them, not me. It’s my job to reflect real life, not just what I think. This is where something like “Christian genre” becomes problematic and exclusive because it implies you can only include one viewpoint. But that’s not real life.

It’s easy for us to say Jesus preached it straight up since we, on this side of history, have studied and know what the message of his stories was. But when he told them, half the time even his closest friends didn’t understand them! He presented the message inside of him in a way that focused on the human heart/the human condition – the woman who was devastated about losing her coin; the fearful worker who buried his treasure for fear of losing it. He used fig trees and seeds and oil lamps – things the people of that day could relate to. They couldn’t have related to him standing there, telling them straight up what he wanted them to know. But they could relate to the implications of losing a coin or the consequences of scattering seed on hard ground. His message came through to those who took the time to think about what he’d said. I think the closest he ever came to telling a crowd straight was when he’d say “And such is the kingdom of heaven” at the end of a parable. But it was still up to them to figure out what he meant.

And, yes, C.S. Lewis was a master!

Ack! Too long … and I could go on. But instead, let’s go for a drink … 

That’s great, Renee! We should always be sharpening our thinking.

Back in the early 90′s when we went on missions to Russia we were told not to take home any Icons because they were idols. Later, I was speaking to my Aunt who studied Iconography and she told me the purpose and style of the painting was to have people look through them and to God. That is why they use flat, simple images and not realism.

I am trying to understand when something becomes an idol. Art and our response to it can arouse God’s passion. Consider the Golden Calf. I always think of that when I see the Oscars. It aroused God’s passion when people turned to their own creations. There are so many references to idolatry in the Bible…worshipping what our own hands create. Prophets were ruthless in destroying idols and pulling them down to restore God’s favour. Seeing the destruction in Jerusalem and realizing it was because of idolatry makes me tremble. Oh, but that little fertility god offers hope to a person who is childless. If it comforts them, what is the harm?

Back to the icons….idols?

But “art for arts’s sake” isn’t idolatry? Sounds like your eye or ear stops at the work of art and your attention turns to man and his abilities or inward to your own response. What about God’s passion?

Yes, idolatry resides in the heart of man, but perhaps all the technique that Christian artists are so impressed with in the world is drawing attention to man, his abilities, his brilliance. Do you think it all impresses God? I go back to David and his simple strumming on a harp and the spiritual implications.

I am so sad that Christians would throw mud on other Christians expression even if it is simple if their aim is to share the Good News (the message). Back to the original article. Was it kind ?

What I see is Christians creating genres and sub genres 1) technical art by Christians that honour the art form first 2) art by Christians that is concerned with message first and 3) art by non christians….Art for art sake, art for God’s sake ….ahhhhhh my head is exploding!

So what is the purpose of Art? Co creation? Sharing in His joy when he created and said “It is good”(I would be careful with that one since, even Jesus questioned a person calling Him good). Because we are made in his image? Frankly I don’t know anymore.

All I know is I did not grow up in the church or knowing the Bible. I did not grow up with youth groups and “Christian music.” I can trace back bad decisions in my life when my spirit would resonate with this this song or that movie as I sought to find truth in them when they didn’t even present Truth. When I got saved I found artists who were standing for God and had a purpose for their expression bigger than themselves and resonating with them was not dangerous.

On a lighter note….was the meat dress art?

This is a great post. It totally reminds me of my own writing experience.

When I submitted a short story for the first time and it got picked up I remember thinking, “What is are all these people talking about? This writing business is easy.”

Man, I was so wrong.

Since then–August 2009–I’ve managed to have two other stories published, and a whole slew of others get rejected. No doubt, it’s tough. People are going to say you suck and then not publish your work, while others are going to say you’re great and then still not publish your work. Still, those rare instances when someone says, “We’ll take it!” make all the hard work seem totally worth it.

We need like buttons for comments. Writing (with the goal of publication) is a tough slog, indeed.
Congratulations on your published stories, Scott! Nothing like hearing those words, right?

Amen to that!

Hee-hee. I think I need to try setting a timer – I always sit down with the promise that it will only be half an hour, but then two hours later, I’m still reading and responding. So, starting tomorrow, I’m using a 30-minute timer.

Sabriel, by Garth Nix.

The World According to Garp by John Irving – Funny and moving in equal measure. Some brilliant stuff about the writing life as the eponymous Garp is an author. This was the first book that grabbed me as both a reader and a writer. I wanted to write like Irving in this. At times laugh out loud, at times shocking, at times deeply emotive, this remains Irving’s best work and now, twenty years after I first read it, my favourite book.

Okay, can I cheat? Because I have an author whose every book I love and adore for different reasons, and they’re all different.

The author is MT Anderson. I read Feed and was struck by its prescience, and the heartbreak at its end; I read The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing and was struck by the complete immersion in that time period that I experienced through reading this book. His work is always an exercise in sociopolitical commentary, but it’s done so skillfully, through such masterful storytelling, that you don’t realise it until you’ve already finished the book and are a changed person. Fantastic stuff.

Thanks for your comment, Ben!

Thanks, Dan. Funny and moving is always my favorite combination!

Thanks, Ishta! I know what you mean – Miriam Toews is an author like that for me.

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