polilogues

Douwe Nutterts 0204

Question: Could Psycho-Spiritual Work (PSW) contribute to Interfaith Dialogue?

Nutterts:  I think in the first place PSW is in itself already a coming together of many different traditions. So it is open for different traditions. Myself I don’t come very much from a theistic tradition, but I do not see why people cannot introduce it in their way. Some people are Christians, come from a theistic tradition, and that is important in their lives, so they can bring it in the Work also. I don’t see why it couldn’t happen.

Because at the basis, if you look at true nature - whether you call it true nature , or you call it something else. I think in the whole o mystic tradition...I mean there is different emphasis. The emphasis can be different.  Or one aspect of true nature is more emphasized than another aspect, but basically it is all about true nature. And I think there can be a dialogue and there can be an enrichment between that (the traditions).

Question: Wouldn’t PSW be able to point out that in essence it is the same human mind, and point out the ideas about that human mind in those different traditions, and thus help those tradtions understand that in essence they are dealing with the same human beings? Apart from the fact that they can be in relationship with a personal god, which these three tradtions that I mentioned (ie. Christianity, Islam, Judaeism) do have. But in a sense you could help point out to them where they all agree and have to agree on certain things, because we are dealing with the same human mind. But this is not always clear when you come from one particular tradition.
 
Nutterts: It depends on how open the traditions is. And really, do you look at the surface phenomena, or do you look at the depth. I think in the contemplative or depth sense there is never much of a conflict. I mean there is different emphasis. There is a resonance, where things resonate more, or resonate less. But I think there is less of a difference. But if you only hold on to the difference in the scripture, and the words being said, and if you take everything literally, it becomes a very difficult dialogue. That’s what you see in the world nowadays. I think at the one hand there is more a moevement towards depth, and at the other hand there is a whole movement towards the surface where people take everything very literally. And I think there is a whole spectrum in between where people are in that whole field. And you can point out things to people, but it will depend on whether they are open to it or not. And it seems like a lot of people are more and more holding on to their ideas of religion, and you see very much a polarization. The whole spectrum (of consciousness) is there.