People Are People First
I have studied and taught about religion for decades. What has leapt out at me time and time again as I look at the religions of the world are their similarities. Sure, religions are different. They have different creeds. Different practices. But there is a basic humanity shared by members of all religious traditions. Human beings want to be safe. They want to be happy. They love their family and friends. They also fear the unknown and things that may threaten their safety and loved ones. These are all basic human feelings and behaviors. We see them in all aspects of human culture. Religion is one reflection of human culture and we see these desires and fears expressed in religions.
When I have taught comparative religions and philosophy of religion, I tell my students that the primary thing to keep in mind when studying religion is that people are people first and they are whatever religion they are second. We are all human beings and our similarities far outweigh our differences. People are whatever their particular religion is second–after their basic humanity. Some students are surprised by this idea when I present it the first day of class. Some are dubious of the idea. They have been raised to focus on differences. Most, though, come to see the reality that people are people first and they see how keeping that in mind helps us understand people and religion.
Understanding that religion is an expression of people attempting to understand their world grounds religion in its cultural environment. We then see religion as a human expression, like numerous other expressions. This opens up religious behavior to our inquiries to see cultural patterns. Regardless of an individual’s particular religion, they express their humanity in their religious behavior. Religious stories allow people to connect with their history and identity. Religious rituals express people’s hopes for a better future. Religious gatherings and festivals express people’s desire for community. In all of these religious expressions, we see more similarities than differences. A Hindu festival and a Catholic ceremony are essentially the same at their core. They are different expression with different colors and sounds, but more importantly, they are people being people.
When we forget that people are people before they are their religion, problems arise. Believing that another person’s religion makes them radically different justifies discrimination against them. Taken to an extreme, people in different religions are seen as less human. They are declared irrational, delusional, and evil. Forgetting that people are people first leads to hostility and violence.
That people are people first extends to all other aspects of human culture. You are a person first then everything else that you are after that: your nationality, your color, your gender, your religion, your politics, and so on and on. If you forget that, you lose your humanity as you dehumanize others.
Watu ni Watu Kwanza Nimekuwa nikijifunza na kufundisha juu ya dini kwa miongo mingi. Jambo ambalo limenijia mara kwa mara ninapoangalia dini za ulimwengu ni kufanana kwao. Bila shaka, dini ni tofauti. Wana itikadi tofauti. Mazoea tofauti-tofauti. Lakini kuna ubinadamu wa msingi unaoshirikiwa na washiriki wa mapokeo yote ya kidini. Wanadamu wanataka kuwa salama. Wanataka kuwa na furaha. Wao hupenda familia na marafiki wao. Pia wanaogopa mambo yasiyojulikana na mambo yanayoweza kuhatarisha usalama wao na wa wapendwa wao. Hizi zote ni hisia na tabia za msingi za kibinadamu. Tunaona mambo hayo katika sehemu zote za utamaduni wa kibinadamu. Dini ni moja ya tafakari ya utamaduni wa binadamu na tunaona tamaa hizi na hofu kuonyeshwa katika dini. "Ninapofundisha dini za kulinganisha na falsafa ya dini, ninawaambia wanafunzi wangu kwamba jambo la msingi la kukumbuka wakati wa kusoma dini ni kwamba watu ni watu kwanza na wao ni dini yoyote wanayo.""" Sisi sote ni wanadamu na mambo tunayofanana yanazidi tofauti zetu. Watu ni chochote dini yao maalum ni pili <unk>baada ya ubinadamu wao wa msingi. Wanafunzi fulani hushangaa wazo hili ninapoeleza siku ya kwanza ya darasa. Wengine wanashuku wazo hilo. Wamefundishwa kukazia fikira tofauti. Hata hivyo, wengi wao huona ukweli kwamba watu ni watu kwanza na wanaona jinsi kukumbuka hilo kunatusaidia kuelewa watu na dini. Kuelewa kwamba dini ni usemi wa watu wanaojaribu kuelewa ulimwengu wao, dini hutegemea mazingira yake ya kitamaduni. Kwa hiyo, tunaona dini kuwa jambo la kibinadamu, kama ilivyo na mambo mengine mengi. Hii inafungua tabia ya kidini kwa uchunguzi wetu kuona mifumo ya kitamaduni. Bila kujali dini ya mtu binafsi, wao huonyesha ubinadamu wao katika tabia yao ya kidini. Hadithi za kidini huwawezesha watu kuunganisha na historia na utambulisho wao. Desturi za kidini huonyesha matumaini ya watu juu ya wakati ujao bora. Mikutano na sherehe za kidini huonyesha tamaa ya watu ya kuwa na jumuiya. Katika maneno haya yote ya kidini, tunaona mambo mengi yanayofanana kuliko tofauti. Sherehe ya Kihindu na sherehe ya Kikatoliki ni sawa kimsingi. Ni tofauti na rangi na sauti tofauti, lakini muhimu zaidi, ni watu kuwa watu. Tunapoisahau kuwa watu ni watu kabla ya kuwa dini yao, matatizo hutokea. Kuamini kwamba dini ya mtu mwingine humfanya awe tofauti kabisa kunathibitisha ubaguzi dhidi yake. Kwa njia ya kupita kiasi, watu wa dini tofauti huonwa kuwa watu wa hali ya chini. Wanatangazwa kuwa wasio na akili, wenye udanganyifu, na waovu. Kusahau kwamba watu ni watu kwanza huongoza kwenye uadui na jeuri. Kwamba watu ni watu kwanza huenea kwa mambo mengine yote ya utamaduni wa kibinadamu. "Mtu ni mtu kwanza, kisha kila kitu kingine unacho: utaifa wako, rangi yako, jinsia yako, dini yako, siasa yako, na kadhalika.""" Ukisahau hilo, unapoteza ubinadamu wako unapowadharau wengine.