The Concept of "Other"

[keltic63]

It has been mentioned in various threads that fundamentalism depends on a group that can be designated as "other." That "other" group can be any group that suffers at the hands of fundamentalists: for a while it was abortionists, feminists, and of course, the lgbt community is having its turn.
I was struck by something that was posted in a forum that I've been monitoring, but not posting in. Here's what the poster said that reminded me of the importance of "other" to certain groups of Christians.

Should the rapture happen today that will give me some time to think about it while the rest of you non-believers or non-faithful people are left here to go through the tribulation. Fortunately one doesn't have to believe in the rapture to be caught up...just be a person who has experienced saving faith.

ie: I'm in, you're out. I'm saved, you're not. I have experienced saving faith, but because you haven't had the same experience that I have, because you don't think as I do, you are not going to heaven.

does heaven have a limited seating capacity? do we really have to base our assurance of salvation on the premise of others not being able to attain the same salvation?

[1engelbythesea]

I believe the bible also says when I was a child, I understood as a child. I believe Fundamentalist are stuck in their religious childhood, and refuse to grow up because that means to take personal responsibility for their actions and reactions.
Soren Kierkegaard, Danish Teologion 1813-1855 said "Let us worship God again in simplicity, instead of making a fool of him in spendid edifices"
Or as they say in America KISS.
The awful things we have done throughout history in the name of God. There is much to be said about "Let go and let God"

[BruceChris]

Well, conservative Republicans are a classic bunch of "We've GOT to have a group of people out there somewhere, that we can accuse of being totally unlike us, (AND EVIL!), so that we can have SOME idea of just who in the hell WE are, and tell ourselves that we have good reason to convince ourselves that we are indeed the GOOD guys". So when Communism collapsed of it's own weight, the terrorists became plan B. Some might say that the neocons helped to create terrorists, because they (the neocons) desperately NEEDED the terrorists, for the reason given above. (But of course, I would never say that, because if I did, people would undoubtedly say that I was just plain paranoid)

Originally Posted by Keltic

does heaven have a limited seating capacity?

No, but very few people realize that there are only a limited number of Marriage Licenses out there.

Peace, Love, and an occasionally off-center sense of humor, Bruce Chris

[Daniel]

There are many veiwpoints from which to consider the whole idea of 'other' or 'otherness'. We live in a world that is dualistic terms. We 'see' that there is dark and light and, of course, evil and good. Find your own 'flavor' and someone will surely point out its opposite. Up Down. Right Wrong. Left Right. In Out. Back Front.

One of the more interesting things about spirituality is that it can lead one into territory - and experiences- that changes one's point of view regarding otherness. In a post months ago (in reply to Awediot), I shared a formative experience I had regarding this subject of otherness. I still think about it a great deal (an experience while meditating). But one doesn't have to have experiences on a cushion to get the idea: one need only follow the Gold Rule to its ultimate expression to happen upon the realization that the 'other' person is, indeed, oneself. How many of us experience this in our daily lives in a viseral way? In a way that's not just nice words?

I can only report that practices (and I think it takes practice...but hey....I'm a musician that see things in terms of practice.....practice makes permanent) that involve the generation of compassion in some form, be it prayer or meditation bring one closer to experiences/perceptions which, ultimately, starts chipping away at the divisions between 'us' and 'them'.

This leads me to ask: Who are we when there is no 'other'?