Mythology and Religion with Mr. Fournier
Our teacher for 10th grade History, Mr. Fournier, at Munich American High School, had a wonderful way to narrate stories, especially about the Greek and Roman gods. As he described the mythology of these gods, he would act out a scene. It was great material, something of a soap opera from antiquity, with lessons that persist for societies and governments today.
He was marching us through history to the evolution of modern societies, with stops at ancient times, the middle ages, the Renaissance, and on to the industrial revolution. For our situation in southern West Germany, it all seemed so much closer and more relevant than it might in a U.S. high school.
After the Greek and Roman mythology, he moved on to Judaism and early Christianity, complete with stories of burning bushes, plagues of locust, and the parting of the Red Sea.
Then onward to Islam and the Prophet Mohammed. Of course, he mentioned an Islamic story or two along the way. And at that point, one of my classmates burst out with “that’s ridiculous!” We were only a day or two beyond burning bushes and the parting of seas, and no one had exclaimed “that’s ridiculous!” Virtually by reflex I blurted out that the Muslim belief was no more ridiculous than the Christian belief. It would certainly be as easy to accept if you are part of that religion as any of the Christian beliefs were to a Christian.
The class erupted into quite a lively discussion. People chimed in on their points of view about things that they truly believed in their religion. For our class it was mostly varieties of Christianity. We explored why we believed what we did, and how do we know. So often, the answer was “It just is!” Or where is Heaven? Up there. One person knew exactly where heaven was. It was just past the North star and take a left. How do we know it exists? You have Faith. Why would someone born in a different country with a different religion be denied heaven, even if they live a very moral and loving life?
By the end of the class discussion, I was feeling that it's very easy to accept things that you've been taught from an early age without thinking too critically about it. But of more concern, it was too easy to reject the beliefs of others because they were unfamiliar to us.
I left that class with some real doubts about the dogma of religion. I had no doubts about the idea of moral principles from religion. The golden rule makes a lot of sense. Yet it became difficult for me to believe that someone might be denied entry to heaven simply because they were born into the wrong religion. I was also very aware that religion was at the heart of so many tragic wars in Europe.
I had been a very diligent Sunday school student for several years before our family moved to Germany and was proud of all my good attendance pins. Yet after our class discussion on religious history, I came to believe that unquestioning and unquestionable faith we are asked to take as absolute certainty, with the rejection of other views, cannot be justified.
Sometime around the year 2000, I discovered a poem that was very meaningful to me on this topic, and I add it here.
Abou Ben Adhem
James Henry Leigh Hunt
October 19, 1794 – August 28, 1859Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, with the moonlight in his room,
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An Angel writing in a book of gold:
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the Presence in the room he said,
“What writest thou?” The Vision raised its head,
And with a look made of all sweet accord
Answered, “The names of those who love the Lord.”
“And is mine one?” said Abou. “Nay, not so,”
Replied the Angel. Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still; and said, “I pray thee, then,
Write me as one that loves his fellow-men.”The Angel wrote and vanished. The next night
It came again with a great wakening light,
And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
And, lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest!