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News Stories & Announcements Don't target Islam, says Unitarian leader The Religion of Islam must never be singled out for blame just because there are fanatics within its ranks, a leader of British Unitarians has told an Iranian satellite TV programme. The Unitarian leader, the Rev Steve Dick, was appearing in a religious discussion programme 'NEXUS', which was broadcast on 'Press TV', an English-language Iranian network, on Saturday 29 September (and repeated on Tues 2 October). Fanaticism existed as a phenomenon in Christianity and most world religions, he said. "No one group has a monopoly on this, and therefore no one group should be tarred and feathered because of it." The Rev Steve Dick -- who is Chief Executive of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches - was speaking in a studio discussion on 'New Age religions in Europe'. Also taking part were: Peter McCaig of Green Events; Adrian Gilbert, author of 'Signs in the Sky' and other New Age books; and the Rev Stephen Sizer of Christ Church in Surrey. The Presenter, Dr Rebecca Masterton, opened the programme by saying the decline in church attendance in Europe had left many feeling their way of life lacked a spiritual dimension. "For the last 30 years, a new spiritual movement - termed New Age - has emerged that turns to the esoteric traditions of various religions." Then she asked: "But is it a superficial appropriation of beliefs for a selfish kind of spirituality?" During a wide-ranging discussion that followed, the Rev Steve Dick welcomed the fact that many in Europe were now exploring other religions, particularly eastern ones. He said this kind of search could benefit all those with religious faith, except perhaps those "who see themselves as telling a very limited story". New Age practices and approaches could help an individual's spiritual journey, he said, but he had concerns if these practices - whether using crystals or incense - became like a drug or addiction. The Rev Dick said the same danger existed in traditional religions too, where some practices could become almost an addiction. On the other hand, the Rev Stephen Sizer of Christ Church criticised New Age practices, describing them as substitutes which would never fulfil "our deepest needs". He said Christianity was based on the truth that Christ had come into the world to save humanity, and New Age substitutes could not provide a path toward establishing "a right relationship with God". Earlier, the Rev Steve Dick had described the Rev Sizer and himself as "coming from different sides of the Christian tradition". In response to a question on differences between healers in Biblical times and New Age healers today, Steve Dick said he was not sure if there was much difference between the two groups. He continued: "In some of our Unitarian congregations, we have healing groups. Now whether it's due to a psychological effect or whether it's some sort of God-given spiritual intervention, it is clear that something happens during these sessions. And perhaps that is what we should focus on - as long as we can avoid turning it into a new gospel or a certainty." The Presenter drew attention to the phenomenon of spiritual seekers in Europe turning to gurus from abroad, often from the east, and she said this often led to manipulation. How much should we worry about this? Steve Dick responded: "The real issue is whether you are simply desperate to find a support to grasp on to - which can unfortunately be the case for some people in Christianity and Judaism and Islam too - or whether you are on an open search, whether you are living with the questions. The trouble is that - if you are not careful - alternative forms of spirituality can be just as dogmatic and just as controlling as some forms of Christianity and other mainstream religions." The 'NEXUS' programme was also due to be broadcast at 1005 GMT (1105 British Summer Time) on Tuesday 2 October 2007. The website for Press TV is: www.presstv.com October 2007 |
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