Religion & Politics Do Mix, Part 2

This month I complete the interview I conducted with Nichola Torbett of the Network of Spiritual Progressives (www.spiritualprogressives.org/) on the combination of networking, religion, and politics. To read Part 1 of this article, to go www.thenationalnetworker.com/articles/2006_11_politics.shtml.

What are the most important networking relationships to the Network of Spiritual Progressives?

At both the national and the local levels, some of the most powerful networking is happening between people of different religious faiths. I regularly get emails from members who have been incredibly inspired to find people from other faiths who have a vision of social justice remarkably similar to their own. Progressive Jews are meeting progressive Muslims. Jews and Muslims are finding that not all Christians believe that they have the corner on spiritual truth. These are powerful forces of social healing.

Likewise, progressive activists who have written off all religious people as reactionaries, are delighted to find allies in a variety of different houses of worship. And religious people are relieved to be accepted among progressive activists without having to check their beliefs at the door.

What is the biggest networking challenge the Network of Spiritual Progressives faces?

The biggest challenge we face is probably the biggest challenge all organizations face, which is that we have all internalized this distrust of each other that makes it difficult for us to give each other the benefit of the doubt. That means that when we disagree, all sorts of fears and anxieties get triggered: "I'm never going to be heard," or "If I say what I really think, they won't like me," or "I need to get control of this situation before it all falls apart."

These fears are especially intense when people's hopes for real change are raised, because the more excited they become, the more they also fear being disappointed in the end.

How do you overcome this challenge?

As a national network, we are looking to the nonviolent communication, compassionate listening, and conflict transformation movements for skills to help us deal with these moments. Our local chapters are experimenting with various kinds of covenants that establish how members want to be in relationship with each other, including how they will react when conflict inevitably arises. It seems to help to make those group norms explicit. We might develop some sort of covenant for the national organization, as well.

Rabbi Lerner is also very helpful in preparing people for the inevitable conflict in groups. He makes a lot of jokes about how social change networks always end up attracting screwed-up people because, after all, screwed-up people are all we have on this planet. If we want to work with others, we are going to end up dealing with screwed- up people! The emphasis on compassion and forgiveness comes from him and is echoed by all of us to whatever degree possible.

What is unique about networking relationships in spirituality and politics?

What is most refreshing to me is the way spiritual techniques can help diffuse some of the negative group dynamics that creep up in social change work. For example, taking a moment of silence or prayer at the beginning of meetings or ringing a mindfulness bell every twenty minutes to remind people to reconnect with their deepest intentions can help us recognize when we've gotten caught up in an ego struggle and enable us to respond to each other with more openness and compassion.

We are, as I mentioned, an interfaith network. We want people to bring the fullness of their own spiritual and religious traditions with them to the table, rather than watering down the traditions so that we end up with a kind of spiritual mush that isn't sustaining or satisfying to anyone. Of course, there are inherent challenges to such an approach. People are going to disagree. I've been surprised, honestly, at how few problems that has caused. People are capable of tremendous respect and open-mindedness. That gives me a lot of hope for the future.

 

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