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Many
voices for whole...
or
How
to unite and create a synergy between all people...
Istanbul: Grief, Share
& Call
This message e-sent out on November 20,
2003
to a group of LM Friends...
Thank you so much for your sensibility and responsibility...
Related responses are below:
Terrorist
attacks, war, destruction
When
in history has the world been a peaceful place?
Will
there ever be peace?
The
answer is no. We should, however try to achieve it with
every deed, with every thought.
It will lead us to personal peace.
If
we strive for peace, we will contribute to compassion,
tolerance and mental clarity in others.
We will gain power and energy and will be able
to influence even more people.
I
believe in analysis and reason.
I believe in technology.
I believe that most people are good.
Evil is rooted in irrationality, in wrong ideas
because of lack of education and information.
The
terrorists gave their lives to a cause. They believed
they could change the course of history, and destruction
and death would be the path to get there.
The
result is death, suffering, devastation.
Everybody
who has reason and education should try to spread it.
Let's contribute to mental clarity, understanding of history,
compassion and preservation.
Marianne
A. KINZER
November
23, 2003, Chicago
E-mail: makinzer@lycos.com
*
* *
The
bombings in Turkey have been covered here, in the UK,
fully and with sympathy.
We (Geoff and I) thought of you, your friends, your family
you may have or know
in Istanbul. Our
sympathy is with you and yours, dear Bircan
I
don't know what the answer is.
Harvey Tordoff's moment by moment, small
step
by small step feels the right way forward and even before
taking the small steps,
considering each moment, movement, thought before making
them
I
had an image, then a dream
of
everyone holding hands
and tiptoeing, slowly, through a land
of devastation
my
hand holding yours
each fingertip pressed against warm flesh
our eyes sharing disbelief
of how such hate could come to pass
perhaps
a mirror of our world
a world behind our world
with the dust of pain and rage
polished from the glass
could
hold an answer?
***
with
love and, sadness - and how hard to hold a vision of what
our world could
BE... against the weight of so much hate and fear...
Geraldine
GREEN
Cumbria,
United Kingdom
November
21, 2003
E-mail: Geraldinegreen1@aol.com
* * *
Istanbul/
20 Kasim 2003
Blood
Blood---Covered
my city--
And
I'm sitting here
Wishing
I could rip my heart out
So
it wouldn't hurt anymore--
Saty
for a minute
Watch
The
blood is running down my hands
Stay
for a moment-- listen to the silence and tears---
I
am tired of dying for other' causes
Tired
of losing my friends,
People
I know--
People
I don't know--
Peace
seems so far away-- long awated-- never arriving--
And
i sit here watch the blood drip from my hands and
Feel
guilty
Cause
as my people are dying--
I
am here-- in New York--
Living--
Evrim
SEL
November
21, 2003
New
York
E-mail: Evbabe7800@aol.com
* * *
"And with every step
Know
that you are truly sacred,
And that all sentient beings are your kin,
For you are part of God
And God is all of you."
Harvey
Tordoff
E-mail:
harve@bigger-picture.co.uk
With all due respect to both my beloved friend Bircan
and to Mr. Tordoff, I reject the above concept that all
sentient beings are our kin. If you eat Lahmajuhn, then
you are eating a sentient being, aren't you? Lamb, a diet
staple of much Turkish food would similarly be an issue.
As
for other humans, I prefer to consider the words of God
and not Mr. Tordoff. The Bible [which some would automatically
want to dispute as a source] says in a parable found in
Matthew 13
24 Another parable put he forth unto
them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto
a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came
and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up,
and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder
came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good
seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath
done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then
that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye
gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with
them.
30 Let both grow together until the
harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the
reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind
them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into
my barn.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away,
and went into the house: and his disciples came unto
him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares
of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them,
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good
seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares
are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the
devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the
reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered
and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of
this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth
his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom
all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace
of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth
as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath
ears to hear, let him hear.
I acknowledge
that this may not be the belief of all mankind, and certainly
it is something that man is supposed to be turned away
from believing, but by whom? The very one who sowed the
tares? Yes, there are evil people in our world. Poems
will not redeem them. Jesus said that a thief only comes
to steal, kill and destroy. He said he came to offer man
life in abundance. We always are free to choose.
Those
who have taken life know their creator well. It is an
act of Satan, the evil one. It is what I choose to see
in such unfathomable horror. Spiritual problems are a
horror best left to God and not poetry. In the above red
portion I ask the writer, which God he refers to. The
God of Abraham, Issac and Moses? The God of Barabbas?
Robert
J. BAUMANN
November 21, New York
E-mail: rbaumann@nyc.rr.com
*
* *
Dear
Bob,
There
are many people in the world with many different understandings
of God. I am sorry if my words offended you.
In fact, Bircan suggested that Universe might be
a more appropriate word than God.
In
the spirit of facing the current tragedy together I would
urge everyone to look for ways of bridging those differences.
It is all too easy to attack those with different
views.
Sincerely,
Harvey
TORDOFF
November
21, London
E-mail: harve@bigger-picture.co.uk
* * *
The
Next Step
Your
concern and your action (writing this e-mail, asking questions,
starting a dialogue, etc.) are the first steps to a solution. The solution must be a willful, determined and prolonged demonstration
of the world citizenry (and especially the Muslim community)
against the brutal bombings perpetrated by these selfish
fringe groups. In the pattern of Ghandi and Martin Luther
King, peaceful and willful determination against the unrighteous
can prevail. The
extremists who are conducting these gruesome crimes against
humanity are confused, easily misled, unloved, unloving
and emotionally empty.
As such they have nothing to lose, nothing to live
for and choose to put others in pain.
Our response must be:
1)
not to give in to their violent coercion
2) to come together and reinforce like-minded people in
standing up to this violence and
3) find out why these people are in such pain/insane and
try to find a way to diffuse them for their own and our
sake.
In the past 2 years I have repeatedly asked the same question,
"what would make any of these groups happy?"
If they could have anything they wanted, what would
it be? My wife (a Muslim Turk) has answered me
every time with, "Nothing.
Nothing will make them happy until they destroy
the world." At first I disagreed but, over 2 years
I have come to agree.
That is why we must resist with our minds, our
bodies and most importantly with our will as did Ghandi.
We can not sit idly by and watch our world become
shrouded in fear and darkness by a group whose agenda
is meaningless and who attempt to use fear and intimidation
to implement chaos.
In
my opinion,
Erich
BUEHLER
November
22, 2003
E-mail: ebuehler@neo.rr.com
* * *
Dear friends,
I am saddened and outraged by the senseless terrorist attacks to
my hometown Istanbul!
Six days ago, the terrorists hit two synagogues in Istanbul, killing
25 people (Muslims and Jews, including a Jewish woman
who was pregnant and her Muslim husband!).
Yesterday, the terrorists attacked again killing 27 people and
wounding 450. This time, one of the attacks occurred
in my neighborhood where all my family and friends live.
And killed a theatre actor that I knew well. So
needless to say, I am angry and upset. However,
I believe that the only way to battle these acts of violence,
is to cultivate friendship and understanding within oneself,
and within one's community.
As my hometown grieves today, I realize that today happens to be
a very important and magical day in the Islamic calendar.
As my friend Peter reminded me, certain magical
days transcend all religious boundaries, especially ones,
that celebrate the receiving of divine wisdom and inspiration.
Today is a very special day in the Islamic calendar, called the
day of Kadr. It marks the 27th day of the holy month of
Ramadan. It is believed to be the day when the Koran's
(the Muslim holy book) verses were first given to the
prophet. It is supposed to be a day of tolerance,
love and compassion and a day, when, all prayers come
true. So, if you have time, light a candle today and/or
say a prayer.
As a Muslim born woman, who believes that there are no differences
in religious belief, I will pray that we can all find
tolerance and love in our hearts. I believe that
all holy days in all religions are important and connects
us to each other no matter what faith we belong too. On
these days such as Christmas, Rosh Shahanah or tonight
(Kadr night), we transcend the boundaries of religion and remember that we are
all one.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Best Wishes,
Binnur KARAEVLI
November 21, 2003, Los Angeles
E-mail: binnur@earthlink.net
* * *
I have thought about the Istanbul bombings, unfortunately
I have nothing profound to say about it except that it
is of course a great tragedy. In many ways it reminds
me of the Oklahoma City bombing here in 1994, when "homegrown"
terrorists who hated the government bombed a federal building
and killed many people. In the Istanbul bombings, I think
the "Turks" who did this were Kurdish separatists,
just hiding behind the al-queda connection. I say "Turks"
in quotes because I think most Turkish people love their
country and appreciate living in an open society that
tolerates diverse viewpoints. Everybody has a right to
express their own opinion, but when it comes to making
political statements with bombs, as Mr. Lennon said, "you
can count me out." The bombers should be ashamed
by their own cowardice.
All the best
Steve DEFOE
November 30, 2003
E-mail: Mondello1@aol.com
Please also read Sue Tordoff's response as an independent
article related, "How to unite and create a synergy
between all people," with the following title:
"'Walking
Our Talk"
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