Affirming Common Roots

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Affirming Common Roots
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Affirming Common Roots
Response to Merton’s Words
Merton’s (1968) words are an interesting affirmation of the validity of all worldviews and religions. When he suggests that “I am fully real if my own heart says 'yes' to everyone” (p. 136) he seems to be describing a state of mind where his spirit as a person ultimately transcends his beliefs in Catholicism. Furthermore, he recognizes that there is truth and validity in both of these things. What these things are, according to Merton are, first, the connection that all human beings have around the globe as people, or his discovery of “them in myself and myself in them” (p. 136) and how that quality, and the recognition of it, is what makes...

.....lawful places” (Wells), just as Judaism and Christianity had their special places of worship.
Lastly, the statement that “traditional Zoroastrians believe that religion and ethnicity are inseparable; that one must be born into the faith, and that one must marry within the faith” (Wells, 1997) could also be attributed to early views of both religions, but this view has changed through the years. Still, Judaism is often considered both a religion and an ethnicity so there is still a parallel there.
Reference
Hopfe, L. M., & Woodward, M. R. (2009). Religions of the world (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Wells, B. (1997). Zoroastrianism. New Religious Movements. Retrieved from http://angel03.gcu.edu/section/default.asp?id=681998