Is it a plus or a minus to have a vivid imagination? On the plus side, a vivid imagination can turn a cardboard box, a jump rope, and an old sock into a castle, a moat, and a drawbridge. Children with vivid imaginations do not need expensive toys or electronic devices to entertain themselves. Adults with vivid imaginations can feel good about repetitive tasks if they see how their work supports something important. Prisoners with vivid imaginations can inhabit a world much larger than their cells.
Mark Twain spoke of the minus side when he observed, “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” A vivid imagination coupled with excessive worry can be counterproductive. In addition, employers do not necessarily want to pay staff members for creativity, though smart employers do just that. In terms of spiritual development, I believe that imagination is a plus. For example, empathy makes use of imagination. Having empathy for another person is a way to care about a stranger or to care about someone who is different from us, stranger or not.
If spiritual development is a path, the path is not paved and well marked, offering lavish rest stops at regular intervals. The path of spiritual development is more likely to be rocky or muddy and feature switchbacks. Imagining the way ahead can give us the energy to keep moving. Religious imagination is also valuable because it allows us to interpret sacred texts in metaphorical terms instead of interpreting them literally.
It is not overstating the case to say that lives are in danger when some religious texts are interpreted literally. The nominal cause of some violence committed by religious extremists may be a literal interpretation of sacred texts. What should be the response of religious liberals? Religious liberals often interpret sacred texts metaphorically, and we must not abandon religion. That will likely make matters worse.
The de-escalation of violence fueled by sacred text literalists will come not because secular people convince them to change. It is more likely to come because of imaginative religious liberals within the religious tradition in question. They may or may not identify with the “religious liberal” term. We will recognize each other by our use of imagination, empathy, and persuasive language to convey our message with depth and richness.
We must not give up talking to those who differ from us regarding religious belief. We can always learn more about others and their values. If we are able to develop a relationship of trust, we may even have occasion to point out internal inconsistencies in the worldview of others. After all, no one likes “cognitive dissonance.” By exploring internal inconsistencies in worldviews, the view may change.
Our collective hope lies in the human capacity for imagination, empathy, and persuasive language. May religious values guide our development. May we seek and strengthen relationships of trust with those who differ from us. May spiritual growth be ours – and theirs. May it be so.