Love and Tolerance in Beirut

Because I couldn’t stay away from Lebanese food for even a few more weeks before returning to Beirut, I broke down and tried a new place in Richmond with my mother. The proprietor was a Lebanese who was delighted to hear that I was on my way back to his country as I told him the work that I would be doing with a church in Beirut, He still has family over there and wanted to give me his brothers phone numbers in case I needed anything while I was over there. As he told me where one of his brothers lived in Beirut, I smiled knowingly. South Beirut is known for being the Shia section of the city and also the Hezbollah stronghold. I don’t know for a fact that this family is Shia or that their political affiliation is Hezbollah (one of two Shia political parties in Lebanon). But there is a strong likelihood that they are. Westerners are generally assumed to be Christian and I had already stated I would be working with a church. I am quite sure there are a lot of political, religious and philosophical differences between us. Yet, there was not a second of hesitation to extend gracious hospitality and assistance in any way that he possibly could. This anecdote epitomized the spirit that I had encountered while in Beirut.

The subject of tolerance has been weighing heavy on my heart for the last few months, especially since the election in the US. I just spent 3 months in a part of the world known for its conflict and division between religions, sects and political parties. Actually, political parties closely interface with sects and religion in the Middle East. You really cannot separate these 3 things. Non-religion is not recognized by the government and for civil matters each Lebanese is subject to the laws and courts of their religious community.

Lebanon just came out of 15 years of civil war in 1990, a complex mesh of religion, sects and politics (which I will not get into today). 1990 wasn’t all that long ago and the people there remember when you had to dash along the streets to avoid sniper fire coming at you from another religious party. You cannot ignore that there are still extreme differences between the people and the city still seems loosely divided up by religion or religious sects (Shia vs. Sunni). You can often tell by the flags that fly in one neighborhood vs another. Knowing what religion and sect someone is from is very much a thing. They will ask each other about surnames and what village the family is from as a way of confirming affiliation.

While there are undercurrents of intolerance and serious issues here that cannot be denied, I still feel that America could learn a lot from the people in Beirut when it comes to tolerance. Regardless of differences, I observed that the people largely live together in gracious harmony and hospitality.

Based on the map from the election showing who won in what county in the country, you can see that America is actually very much segregated based on political party and people tend to gravitate toward geographical locations and even jobs other like minded individuals. Contrast this with Lebanon where there are 54% Muslims (even split of Shia and Sunni), 41% Christians and 5% Druze. I don’t know the exact stats for Beirut, but it is likely a similar representation as the country. I observed a mix of people on opposite ends of the spectrum and everything in between.

I participated in a 7K run in the Beirut Marathon right after the US Elections in November. Despite being on the other side of the world, I had been obsessed with the US news, social media surrounding the election outcome. The intensity of everyone’s emotions in the aftermath and the deep division in our country was taking a heavy toll on me. Running at the Marathon was such a wonderful breath of refreshing air for me. Here you had incredible diversity working alongside each other to pull off the event. Then you had people from all walks participating walking/running in the event as well as cheering on the participants. As I ran, people from all walks of life – women in hijabs, niqabs and short shorts were standing side by side and were excitedly cheering us on and giving us high fives from the side of the road. You could feel the excitement and the energy of unity in the air. No one was concerned with religion, politics and who was right or wrong. No one was concerned that I was an obvious Westerner and likely vastly different from many of them. We were simply coming together to run and they were coming together to cheer us on. It was just what my soul needed to give me faith in humanity again.

Christmas was another example of unity in what could be a very divisive time period. And I should clarify that these are only my observations on these matters. While I only caught the very beginning of the Christmas season in Beirut, I was amazed to watch even the Muslim neighborhoods and stores getting decked out for Christmas, including nativity scenes! While Christmas does have a special meaning for Christians as we celebrate the birth of Christ, it is not an exclusively Christian holiday. I know people from around the world of different ethnicities, cultures and religions that celebrate Christmas. In America, we seem terrified of saying “Merry Christmas” lest we offend someone of another faith. And only in America are some people so focused on themselves as opposed to their fellow man that they would get offended by a gracious season’s greeting from a well wisher.

This political correctness does not seem to resonate in Beirut. Signs everywhere including Muslim neighborhoods said, “Merry Christmas.” I observed people of various faiths celebrating Christmas. They are finding some common ground to celebrate as opposed to focusing on the differences that they don’t agree on.

Then there is the church in Beirut. We are a Christian and our faith is the foundation of everything we do. But what if I told you that we are likely serving many wives and children of ISIS fighters and Al Nusrah Front? (an al-Qa‘ida affiliated organization that was started by ISIS and is part of the rebel fighters seeking to overthrow Assad’s regime in Syria). Yes, many men have left their families in the safety of Lebanon while they have gone off to fight the war in Syria. Receiving help from the church has nothing to do with whether or not a person agrees with us, or is of similar faith or converts to our faith. Our willingness to love and serve is not predicated on them conforming to our definition of love and tolerance. It does not!

Our faith tells us the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 teaches us that love does not look like helping those only like you or that may agree with you. Jesus tells the parable of a Jewish man is beaten and left by the side of the road while religious leaders of his own faith passed him by so as to not make themselves “unclean.” It was a Samaritan, a man from a shunned and despised people group from that society, that came to the Jewish man’s aid. He served him in his need despite the major differences between them. When they parted, those differences remained. One was still Jew and the other still Samaritan Yet, this was the example that Jesus set of a “good neighbor” and commanded his disciples to go and do likewise as the Samaritan had done.

In America we seem more and more only willing to work with, live with, be friends with or help people that believe the same as we do or else see eye to eye. This is both confusing and frustrating. I have read stories where the other side was called “intolerant” and “unworthy of being tolerated” because they deemed them as not listening well enough to their side. Therefore, it is acceptable to shun them, punish them, hate them or bully them or segregate from them.

In Beirut, the differences are obviously there and are often dramatic, yet people seem largely accepting of these differences and acknowledge that they will continue to be there. I also appreciate how someone who completely disagrees with everything I believe in could still welcome me with warm hospitality, have a spirited conversation (many don’t shy from talking religion and politics) and then warmly send me on my way, parting as friends with differences.

Tolerance means that we can acknowledge that there are many differences between us, we have vastly different points of views, beliefs and values but yet we can still come together and focus on the things we have in common and respect each other as a human beings in spite of all of it. Love should not be contingent on getting what we want from the other person, winning an argument or being acknowledged as right on religion to politics or any other issue. Love looks past all these things to still see someone of value and worth. Love serves one another regardless of even the greatest difference. Love serves knowing that the recipient may never see from their point of view or never acknowledge the other as being right. Love means serving someone that is entirely wrong or has done the most wrong to us without passing judgment or condemning them. Love and tolerance should not be meted out based on merit or our judgment of someone else.

I am looking forward to being back in Beirut and I hope that my fellow Americans can catch a glimpse and learn from the beautiful spirit that I have encountered in the Middle East.