It’s probably safe to say that no other nation in the world has as many diverse faiths and religious beliefs as America.  That should be a strength, not a weakness.  Religious freedom is a founding principle of our Constitution, but it appears that many people, including some elected leaders, are centering that freedom on a certain faith instead of applying it to all faiths.  When members of Congress proclaim that “Muslims don’t belong in American society,” or that Islam is not compatible with western society (as a GOP campaign noted in a recent Washington Post article), they are demagoguing and scapegoating millions of people, not just American citizens but residents of nations around the world.  Switch out the word Muslim for Jew, Catholic, Christian, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, etc., pinpoints the hatred and bias that have bedeviled human society for millennia. There should be some common ground.  The tenets of the great world religions preach love and respect for the name of the Supreme Being — God, Allah, Yahweh, and more — as well as loving your neighbor as yourself.  Sounds simple in theory, but when politics and culture overlay faith, practice can become more difficult and complex. 

Fortunately, not always.  Sometimes religion, politics, culture, art, and community can come together to create new friends, new understandings, and new appreciation for what previously might have been viewed as differences.  Last weekend, a Nowruz celebration, hosted by ArtLords and John Calvin Presbyterian Church in Annandale, did exactly that.  Nowruz, meaning “new day,” is a celebration of the Persian New Year and the arrival of spring, observed for more than three millennia across Central and South Asia, the Middle East and the global diaspora.  It symbolizes renewal, hope, and new beginnings and can feature music, food, painting, calligraphy, and storytelling.  ArtLords is an international collective of artists and cultural activists that uses public art, murals, and stories to promote peace, justice, and human dignity.  John Calvin Presbyterian Church is a welcoming faith community dedicated to service, compassion, and building bridges across cultures.  The walls of the fellowship hall displayed precious antique Afghani miniature paintings, modern art by local artists, and a large mural of a smiling young girl waving a bouquet of red flowers that was painted on site by attendees. 

Reflecting the “new day” of those who celebrate Nowruz, little girls were dressed in colorful native costumes bedecked with gold and silver decorations. Little boys wore crisp suits or tunics over flowing trousers. Adults wore traditional garb, and there were lots of hugs as old friends greeted one another, and new friends got acquainted.  The role of community partner-ships, and the importance of empathy and solidarity in today’s world were themes of the celebration, which also toasted the beginning of the ArtLords-John Calvin Presbyterian collaboration.  There was little mention of hostilities against Iran, or elsewhere in the Middle East, but some comments alluded to concerns about family and friends who might be in danger halfway across the world.  

There were no spiteful comments, no withering side-eye glances, no blame games, just 150 people from diverse backgrounds celebrating the renewal of spring and the empathy and delight in being together that makes us human. Understanding our differences and focusing on our similarities can be a recipe for respect, tolerance, and inclusion that moves America forward rather than the bitter taste of rancor and division that holds it back.  Tell that to members of Congress!