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Faking It or Living It


It is fun to read something that makes me laugh and providential when that same reading gives me an idea for these inspirational reflections.  This opportunity came through my daily reading of the newspaper.  I admit I was caught first by the photo.  I turned the page and immediately was drawn to a picture of what looked like a Buddhist monk talking to an African American who was dressed in shirt, tie and carrying his suit jacket.  Knowing that I am a sucker for monks, I quickly went to the article. 

I was taken aback a bit when I read the headline: “New York solicitors dressed as monks upsetting Buddhists.”  What, I thought?  The Buddhist monk in the picture is a fake!  It is a scam!  I have been to New York City and Times Square many times.  I have seen the Naked Cowboy, as he is called.  Actually, he stands in the Square in his underwear and cowboy hat, playing his guitar and accepting the money that people---mostly women---are offering.  It is a bit of a strange place.

But a guy---and many others, apparently---dressing up as a Buddhist monk to trek to the New York streets to hit up people for money?  That beats all.  I read the article, in spite of my disappointment.  I am told that mostly men of Chinese descent “with shaved heads, beatific smiles and flowing robes” go in search of gullible people. We are told their line is basic: “offering wishes of peace and a shiny amulet, they solicit donations from passers-by, often reinforcing their pitch by showing a picture of a temple…”

I am sure most of us have been hit upon by solicitors and beggars.  But I have never had a pretend Buddhist monk do it to me!  Apparently the would-be-monks have standards.  I had to laugh when I read on in the article.  “They offer the amulet, and if they are not satisfied with the donation, they unabashedly demand $20 or more.”  Even pretend monks know it takes more money to live in New York than it does in other parts of the country!

While this is a fun story, it is also quite spiritually instructive.  At first, I thought the pretending monk was funny.  At another level, I realized he had something to teach me.  I realized how easy it is to fake being religious.  In the pretend-monk case, it was a matter of a Chinese guy shaving his head, finding some flowing yellow or orange robes and talking about peace.  He left it up to the gullible to assume he was a Buddhist monk.  Nothing to it.

I thought how comparable it is in my own Christian tradition.  It is quite easy to buy a cross---maybe a necklace---and simply wear it.  Most folks will assume you are a Christian.  Or you can see someone cross themselves---I watch baseball players, basketball players and others do it all the time.  I know I assume they are Christian; in fact, I even assume they are Roman Catholic.  Are they faking it?  Fortunately, it does not matter; they are not after $20 from me!

I brought it closer to home---to my heart.  I certainly claim to be Christian.  When I say it, I believe it and, I suppose, others who might hear me.  But if I am honest, I would say that being Christian is more than saying I am.  It is not bad to say I am a Christian, but if that is all I do, in a sense I am faking it.  I cannot imagine Jesus saying to me, “Just say you are a Christian.  That is sufficient!”

The pretend-monk was intentionally misleading people.  He did not want to be spiritual; he wanted their money!  He was faking it.  I am not intentionally faking it.  But if talk is all I manage in my spiritual life, in a sense I am a fake.  I am sure the spiritual journey is more than just talk.  The spiritual journey is a “living it” journey.  Street language tells us we “have to walk the talk.”  While I don’t like that phrase, I get it.  What does living it look like?

I think there are basics.  To live one’s faith is to “practice” it.  If physicians practice medicine, I don’t see why spiritual people don’t also practice spirituality.  I don’t know that practice makes perfect, but I do know if we don’t practice, we are pathetic.  We are spiritual in name only.  Practicing the faith means being disciplined in some way.  Classically this means things like prayer, meditation, etc.

Another level of living it means some form of service.  My understanding of the spiritual journey is it is not a solitary journey.  Being spiritual implicates some form of community---some kind of life with and among others.  Community is more than an idea or talk.  Community is being with others and being willing to serve others.  Service moves us beyond talk.

Finally, living it always means love in multitudinous ways.  Some loves are easy---friends.  Some loves are really tough---ding-a-lings and enemies.  In my tradition we are called to do more than like a few people.  We are called to love---to love all.  We are called to love, even if we get nothing out of it.  True love cannot be faked.  Fake love can, however, look something like a pretend-monk. 
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