I'm leaving on the 3rd to Israel, and I am inundated with the conflict.
I read the same news stories from Al Jazeera and JPost at least twice a day. I just finished Carter's book, "Palestine Peace Not Apartheid" (brilliant!). I am confronted with the conflict by the Rabbi's sermon at Shabbat services and by the Israeli temple members whom I've been taught by. I've been to two Birthright Orientations in the last month... enough said. I have just finished watching a movie about a love story between an Israeli and an Arab. AND I've even just finished writing my latest short story off a dream I had about a conversation between a Jew and a Palestinian.
I don't know what's happening to me. My only relation to this area of the world is that I am half/wholly (I know, it's confusing) Jewish.
Everything that I was raised to believe, from 12 years of Hebrew School, and from a Jewish (pro-Israeli) family of intellectuals;
I don't anymore.
My "people" and half of my family are strongly on one side, yet my conscious takes me to another.
I feel sick, conflicted, distressed, sad, and frustrated. I am starting to think that the journey I am about to take to the Middle East next week will mark a very new and dramatic beginning to the year 2009 (...or the year 5769..... or the year 1429....)
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 12, 2008
Is It Destiny or Reason?
"Are human societies destined to commit collective acts of violence?"
Destiny, requires the belief in a greater purpose. Greater purposes require organized plans. Purposes and plans require decision making, and thus we have a connection to the Judeo-Christian interpretation of an all-powerful “God”. Anthropology is a science, and there is no scientific method of proving or disproving the concept of destiny. One can gather all of the examples in the world to prove it, it is impossible to test and quantify any type of results that would support the belief – for who is to say what is intended and what is not. Humans are not destined to commit collective acts of violence. Nor are the destined to be altruistic and kind. Human societies “are that they are” and their violent and altruistic acts alike have reasons and triggers. We are led to the question of what are the explanations of violence. Why do human beings commit such collectively violent atrocities such as genocide, and greed-induced destruction of their natural habitat?
A horrifying example of collective acts of violence is genocide. Genocide involves great amount of people joining together in a common goal of murdering another group of people. I believe that it is one of the many mutant offspring of the establishment of the nation-state. In Thomas Eriksen’s book, Small Places, Large Issues, he states: “A successful nationalism implies, in most cases, an intrinsic connection between an ethnic ideology stressing shared descent”. What Eriksen is insinuates is that the nation-state requires homogeneity of ethnicity and culture in order to uphold the defined identity and shared ideology that it represents. Throughout history, many nation states were drawn across cultural boundaries. This is most clearly seen in the continent of Africa. In the nation of Rwanda, both the Hutus and the Tutsies, two different ethnic tribes, reside. Due two cultural tensions (caused by many other initial triggers from history), the nation could not settle peacefully with it’s homogenized identity, and in 1994, one of the most horrific genocides in human history broke out.
Environmental destruction is another act that involves the cooperation and desires of a large amount of people acting upon a common ideology, desire and supposed “need”. The destruction our earth is, and continues to be, a collective effort, and is product of industrialization and the “progress” of societies. In a case in Borneo, the Borneo Pulp and Paper Company want(s)ed the Sarawak’s land for inherent environmental destruction (through logging and agriculture) for their own economic gain. The Sarawak people are native to the island of Borneo, and have been inhabiting the land for many generations. The act of taking away and destroying land (consequently destroying the animal species and surrounding ecosystems about it) from one group of people, to serve the purpose of a large collective of people, is intrinsically violent.
The cases I’ve present cannot be proven that they were of destiny. They can, however, be shown to have been attributed to distinct and sequential reasons that triggered their occurrences. Human societies have collectively committed violent acts since the dawn of our time. We have also committed beautiful acts of love and selflessness. Whether these acts are of destiny or possibility, it cannot be said.
Destiny, requires the belief in a greater purpose. Greater purposes require organized plans. Purposes and plans require decision making, and thus we have a connection to the Judeo-Christian interpretation of an all-powerful “God”. Anthropology is a science, and there is no scientific method of proving or disproving the concept of destiny. One can gather all of the examples in the world to prove it, it is impossible to test and quantify any type of results that would support the belief – for who is to say what is intended and what is not. Humans are not destined to commit collective acts of violence. Nor are the destined to be altruistic and kind. Human societies “are that they are” and their violent and altruistic acts alike have reasons and triggers. We are led to the question of what are the explanations of violence. Why do human beings commit such collectively violent atrocities such as genocide, and greed-induced destruction of their natural habitat?
A horrifying example of collective acts of violence is genocide. Genocide involves great amount of people joining together in a common goal of murdering another group of people. I believe that it is one of the many mutant offspring of the establishment of the nation-state. In Thomas Eriksen’s book, Small Places, Large Issues, he states: “A successful nationalism implies, in most cases, an intrinsic connection between an ethnic ideology stressing shared descent”. What Eriksen is insinuates is that the nation-state requires homogeneity of ethnicity and culture in order to uphold the defined identity and shared ideology that it represents. Throughout history, many nation states were drawn across cultural boundaries. This is most clearly seen in the continent of Africa. In the nation of Rwanda, both the Hutus and the Tutsies, two different ethnic tribes, reside. Due two cultural tensions (caused by many other initial triggers from history), the nation could not settle peacefully with it’s homogenized identity, and in 1994, one of the most horrific genocides in human history broke out.
Environmental destruction is another act that involves the cooperation and desires of a large amount of people acting upon a common ideology, desire and supposed “need”. The destruction our earth is, and continues to be, a collective effort, and is product of industrialization and the “progress” of societies. In a case in Borneo, the Borneo Pulp and Paper Company want(s)ed the Sarawak’s land for inherent environmental destruction (through logging and agriculture) for their own economic gain. The Sarawak people are native to the island of Borneo, and have been inhabiting the land for many generations. The act of taking away and destroying land (consequently destroying the animal species and surrounding ecosystems about it) from one group of people, to serve the purpose of a large collective of people, is intrinsically violent.
The cases I’ve present cannot be proven that they were of destiny. They can, however, be shown to have been attributed to distinct and sequential reasons that triggered their occurrences. Human societies have collectively committed violent acts since the dawn of our time. We have also committed beautiful acts of love and selflessness. Whether these acts are of destiny or possibility, it cannot be said.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Jerusalem Post
Recently, there was an article posted by J-post columnist, Schulmey Boteach about the Mumbai terrorist bombings. The article was titled "Love the Victims, Loathe Their Killers", and was about legitimizing hate towards the terrorists (aka muslims) who committed the act. I was so offended by the article, that I posted my thoughts online. This here is the comment chain that spread from it:
37. Intolerance Breeds Intolerance
This is terrible. You are only lowering yourself to the level of a murderer when you resort to hatred. No matter how intolerable the act. This hatred you've expressed is the same energy force that ignited the terror attacks in the first place. Grieve for the loss of life, and grieve for the loss of tolerance, but don't let anger overcome you. It is accusation, lack of forgiveness, and ignorance of compassion that keeps the world in dark places. Perhaps some of you are not understanding the hard lessons and challenges this event brings to us all.
-My comment
41. It is so easy to talk when you don't have a loved-one who perished in the attacks. Talk is cheap. Hyporcite.
45. About the carpet bombing of the nazi war machine
Eventually this degenerated in the wholesale slaughter of German civilians when focus shifted from industrial to civilian targets. Bomber command actually analysed German cities for how well they would burn when hit with incendiary bombs to maximise civilian casualties. THIS is what hate leads to Mr. Boteach.
47. Talk is cheap? This is true... so everyone can afford it. :P To find compassion within yourself is a difficult and active process - not an easy way out. Loathing, anger, and hatred are the easy way out. They are innate and natural emotions. If you find the willingness to turn the passion of your hate into loving kindness or compassion, than you have achieved far more than idle talk could ever bring. I hope that you can understand this. I have suffered loss, and I have experience anger and hate... but I have overcome it. Please, I am no hypocrite.
-my comment
49. yes, indeed, the allies bombed german civilians....while these same civilians enjoyed food and wine, not lifting a finger to help those starving, and dying in the concentration camps. yes, they bombed them, the heil hitler mommies and dadies crowd while jews were burning and going up in chimneys and while same german population KNEW THIS and still enjoyed their food and wine, their music and freedom. how inconvenient for them that we bombed them, no? and do tell, what did the nazi hate give us humans? you sanctimonious bastard and hypocrite. the jews of germany and europe were innocent victims of your so called german war machine and nazism. were the innocent 6 million jews not as human or civilian enough for you? were they not as "civilian" as your so called german cities with its "innocent population" ...just going about their daily business while we burned in your camps and shot for no reason into pits and then burned. were the jews not as innocent civilians as your german folks? if we burned, let german civilians burn as well. hate?bs
51. I understand your feelings rabbi.But you must watch how you talk of the G-d of Abraham,Isaac & Jacob.
rabbi,this is what you said quote "Could God really be so unreasonable, &would such a God be moral if He did? Could I pray to a God who loves terrorists?Could I find comfort in Him knowing that He offers them comfort as well? o, such a god would be my enemy.He would abide in Hades rather than heaven.& I would be damned before I would worship him."unquote.Who are you to know the mind of G-d?Even Torah says that G-d is a G-d of love.He loves the sinner but hates the sin! Remember,the muslims don't worship the same god.You had better rethink what you said here about Him.Anger perverts the tongue
52. -Muslims do pray to the same god. It is almost the same religion as Judaism except for some cultural spins in custom and tradition. to #51 It's about time we realized that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all derive from the same fundamental ideals. -If anything, the Holocaust taught us all a lesson on the unbelievable power of hate and loathing, and the hideousness it brings to the world. Think about that before flinging your unnecessary insults #49. We should all think about this.
-my comment
37. Intolerance Breeds Intolerance
This is terrible. You are only lowering yourself to the level of a murderer when you resort to hatred. No matter how intolerable the act. This hatred you've expressed is the same energy force that ignited the terror attacks in the first place. Grieve for the loss of life, and grieve for the loss of tolerance, but don't let anger overcome you. It is accusation, lack of forgiveness, and ignorance of compassion that keeps the world in dark places. Perhaps some of you are not understanding the hard lessons and challenges this event brings to us all.
-My comment
41. It is so easy to talk when you don't have a loved-one who perished in the attacks. Talk is cheap. Hyporcite.
45. About the carpet bombing of the nazi war machine
Eventually this degenerated in the wholesale slaughter of German civilians when focus shifted from industrial to civilian targets. Bomber command actually analysed German cities for how well they would burn when hit with incendiary bombs to maximise civilian casualties. THIS is what hate leads to Mr. Boteach.
47. Talk is cheap? This is true... so everyone can afford it. :P To find compassion within yourself is a difficult and active process - not an easy way out. Loathing, anger, and hatred are the easy way out. They are innate and natural emotions. If you find the willingness to turn the passion of your hate into loving kindness or compassion, than you have achieved far more than idle talk could ever bring. I hope that you can understand this. I have suffered loss, and I have experience anger and hate... but I have overcome it. Please, I am no hypocrite.
-my comment
49. yes, indeed, the allies bombed german civilians....while these same civilians enjoyed food and wine, not lifting a finger to help those starving, and dying in the concentration camps. yes, they bombed them, the heil hitler mommies and dadies crowd while jews were burning and going up in chimneys and while same german population KNEW THIS and still enjoyed their food and wine, their music and freedom. how inconvenient for them that we bombed them, no? and do tell, what did the nazi hate give us humans? you sanctimonious bastard and hypocrite. the jews of germany and europe were innocent victims of your so called german war machine and nazism. were the innocent 6 million jews not as human or civilian enough for you? were they not as "civilian" as your so called german cities with its "innocent population" ...just going about their daily business while we burned in your camps and shot for no reason into pits and then burned. were the jews not as innocent civilians as your german folks? if we burned, let german civilians burn as well. hate?bs
51. I understand your feelings rabbi.But you must watch how you talk of the G-d of Abraham,Isaac & Jacob.
rabbi,this is what you said quote "Could God really be so unreasonable, &would such a God be moral if He did? Could I pray to a God who loves terrorists?Could I find comfort in Him knowing that He offers them comfort as well? o, such a god would be my enemy.He would abide in Hades rather than heaven.& I would be damned before I would worship him."unquote.Who are you to know the mind of G-d?Even Torah says that G-d is a G-d of love.He loves the sinner but hates the sin! Remember,the muslims don't worship the same god.You had better rethink what you said here about Him.Anger perverts the tongue
52. -Muslims do pray to the same god. It is almost the same religion as Judaism except for some cultural spins in custom and tradition. to #51 It's about time we realized that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all derive from the same fundamental ideals. -If anything, the Holocaust taught us all a lesson on the unbelievable power of hate and loathing, and the hideousness it brings to the world. Think about that before flinging your unnecessary insults #49. We should all think about this.
-my comment
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
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