Global Ignorance Kills
Visiting our son's internet site you
find the phrase "Global ignorance kills'. For me these are deeply meaningful
words filled with wisdom. Each time I reflect upon that phrase I recall a
conversation with the late Fred Crawford. Fred had just returned from one of
his many trips abroad. He had been in Spain and was relating things that he had
seen there. But the part of that conversation which has stayed with me was an
insight he shared about traveling to others parts of the
world.
He related how he had sat at a sidewalk cafe and simply watched the residents of the city as they went about their daily lives. He watched how they interacted with one another. He observed their manner of dress. He considered how they walked and how they climbed the hilly terrain. He was the "outsider" and rather than carry an arrogance of being an American with him; rather than possessing judgment of his host country; rather than believing he "did that better" because of who he was, Fred wanted to know the citizens of Spain. He wanted to understand them. He wanted to replace his ignorance of their ways, with understanding.
Fred was teaching me the importance of understanding others and that our ignorance of the customs of people in distance places is extremely dangerous. The events of September 11, 2001 confirm the truth of his lesson.
We have witnessed the people of the earth unite in the past few days. Millions of flowers have been placed at national monuments across the globe. Flags have flown at half mast in nation after nation. Candlelight vigils have been held. Prayers have been offered. Rallies have been attended. Tears have flowed All of this has occurred because the citizens of the earth have attempted to understand how some of their brother could have conceived of the attack they perpetrated on the citizens of the United States.
Surely the answer lies in my son's phrase and in Fred Crawford's lesson. We as brothers and sisters of the earth cannot be ignorant of each other. We must come to understand our different cultures; we must come to accept our different religious and philosophical beliefs; we must learn to respect our differing viewpoints. We must eradicate global ignorance. Failing to do so is dangerous - as we so tragically were reminded on Tuesday, September 11.
I recalled the story of the good Samaritan this morning. Is it not a lesson for today? This is not the story from a distant past and a faraway country. This story should live today. You recall that a lawyer had asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" The answer was:
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. but a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luke 10:29-34
And later Jesus asked the lawyer which of the three men who came upon the man on the road was his neighbor. The lawyer answered, "He that showed mercy on him." The Samaritan did not see the illusion of difference between himself and the man who thieves had fallen upon. He did not see a man from a different culture. He did not see one to shun. He saw the true man lying beside the road. He saw one possessing the sanctity of humanness. he did for that man as he would have had done unto himself. He reached down and lifted him up and cared for his wounds, fed him, clothed him and housed him. He understood his neighbor to be someone just like himself.
The common people of the earth have joined hands as neighbors during the past keep. They have embraced one another. They have vowed to end terrorists acts. They have vowed to eradicate terrorists from our midst. how tragic that we should be brought to this. While the lesson from long ago has fallen upon the deaf ears of some, tens of millions around the globe have heard the lesson and understand the need to eliminate global ignorance.
We have witnessed the result of ignorance. Let us all fight against ignorance which attacks the sanctity of humanity both locally and globally.
FIGHT AGAINST IGNORANCE WHICH ATTACKS THE SANCTITY OF HUMANITY
He related how he had sat at a sidewalk cafe and simply watched the residents of the city as they went about their daily lives. He watched how they interacted with one another. He observed their manner of dress. He considered how they walked and how they climbed the hilly terrain. He was the "outsider" and rather than carry an arrogance of being an American with him; rather than possessing judgment of his host country; rather than believing he "did that better" because of who he was, Fred wanted to know the citizens of Spain. He wanted to understand them. He wanted to replace his ignorance of their ways, with understanding.
Fred was teaching me the importance of understanding others and that our ignorance of the customs of people in distance places is extremely dangerous. The events of September 11, 2001 confirm the truth of his lesson.
We have witnessed the people of the earth unite in the past few days. Millions of flowers have been placed at national monuments across the globe. Flags have flown at half mast in nation after nation. Candlelight vigils have been held. Prayers have been offered. Rallies have been attended. Tears have flowed All of this has occurred because the citizens of the earth have attempted to understand how some of their brother could have conceived of the attack they perpetrated on the citizens of the United States.
Surely the answer lies in my son's phrase and in Fred Crawford's lesson. We as brothers and sisters of the earth cannot be ignorant of each other. We must come to understand our different cultures; we must come to accept our different religious and philosophical beliefs; we must learn to respect our differing viewpoints. We must eradicate global ignorance. Failing to do so is dangerous - as we so tragically were reminded on Tuesday, September 11.
I recalled the story of the good Samaritan this morning. Is it not a lesson for today? This is not the story from a distant past and a faraway country. This story should live today. You recall that a lawyer had asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" The answer was:
A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. but a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was; and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luke 10:29-34
And later Jesus asked the lawyer which of the three men who came upon the man on the road was his neighbor. The lawyer answered, "He that showed mercy on him." The Samaritan did not see the illusion of difference between himself and the man who thieves had fallen upon. He did not see a man from a different culture. He did not see one to shun. He saw the true man lying beside the road. He saw one possessing the sanctity of humanness. he did for that man as he would have had done unto himself. He reached down and lifted him up and cared for his wounds, fed him, clothed him and housed him. He understood his neighbor to be someone just like himself.
The common people of the earth have joined hands as neighbors during the past keep. They have embraced one another. They have vowed to end terrorists acts. They have vowed to eradicate terrorists from our midst. how tragic that we should be brought to this. While the lesson from long ago has fallen upon the deaf ears of some, tens of millions around the globe have heard the lesson and understand the need to eliminate global ignorance.
We have witnessed the result of ignorance. Let us all fight against ignorance which attacks the sanctity of humanity both locally and globally.
FIGHT AGAINST IGNORANCE WHICH ATTACKS THE SANCTITY OF HUMANITY
Posted: Fri - January 6, 2006 at 06:33 AM
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"Chance favors only the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
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Published On: Jan 08, 2006 06:43 AM
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Published On: Jan 08, 2006 06:43 AM