There’s no shortage of examples of fanatical, violent response from a certain segment of the Islamic community whenever they feel slighted in some sense. My concern is that well meaning people misplace the cause for these people’s violence and expressions of hatred, and that this only silences legitimate voices of dissent while appeasing the very violence we abhor.
The cause of hatred truly is not external, but internal. Listen to the sublime wisdom of the Buddha in the first section of the Dhammapada:
‘He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,’–in those who harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease.’
He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,’–in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred will cease.
Amen. May we all work to remove the causes of suffering within ourselves and so help all fellow beings.
Please note that in posting this I am not pitting one tradition against another. It is my deep feeling that we MUST learn from each other and so help each other to become better, more loving and more compassionate, beings. As such there is much to be gained from internalizing the wisdom above. Just as there would be much gain in internalizing the teachings of Jesus where he says to “Bless those who curse you, and pray for those who persecute you.” Also to “Resist not those who oppose you. And whoever strikes you on one cheek, offer him the other.” (I’m paraphrasing)
I reject completely the idea that one religious tradition will dominate all others on this planet, and I say this as a Christian. It is a ridiculous idea. I firmly believe that Knowledge of the Truth can and must become dominant if we are to survive together in peace. However, knowledge of the truth is not synonomous with this or that set of religious beliefs.
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