We are One
The past week has been a spiritual one for me.
I came across an old entry in Chong Tao Fatt's blog - around the time of the infamous caricature. At around the same time, the participants at 95% were engaged in a discussion about racial harmony, and during those discussions, my own POV became clear (thanks, Mok, or Mokhtar! for being the catalyst).
I have heard so many people say 'Be careful what you say, you could offend someone who is of another race, religion or sex. Better to keep quiet than to unwittingly offend.'
Well, I disagree with this. I think this only creates separation.
And ignorance.
If we are so very, very afraid of offending, we won't even speak to each other, we won't go into each other's homes, we won't eat with each other, won't have space to share our individual spiritual journey. Each to his own.
No, no, that's not the kind of world I want to live in.
What I want to do is to hold people of other races and religions close to my heart, and learn from them. Learn and understand. Then not only will I overcome ignorance, I believe my own life will be much richer too.
Recently, the Honest Grouch has been explaining to me how the Muslims pray. And to my surprise, it reminded me of what my own spiritual teacher has been teaching me. In fact, when I looked over my old notes, I found deeper meaning in them. The words were different, but the meaning was the same.
Also, Yasmin's brave voice in Gubra touched me deeply too. SO many messages of love and understanding - won't go into details now, just want to highlight the quote at the end : "The lamps may be different, but the light is the same."
So let's embrace each other, with respect and with love.
Forever and ever, amen.
I came across an old entry in Chong Tao Fatt's blog - around the time of the infamous caricature. At around the same time, the participants at 95% were engaged in a discussion about racial harmony, and during those discussions, my own POV became clear (thanks, Mok, or Mokhtar! for being the catalyst).
I have heard so many people say 'Be careful what you say, you could offend someone who is of another race, religion or sex. Better to keep quiet than to unwittingly offend.'
Well, I disagree with this. I think this only creates separation.
And ignorance.
If we are so very, very afraid of offending, we won't even speak to each other, we won't go into each other's homes, we won't eat with each other, won't have space to share our individual spiritual journey. Each to his own.
No, no, that's not the kind of world I want to live in.
What I want to do is to hold people of other races and religions close to my heart, and learn from them. Learn and understand. Then not only will I overcome ignorance, I believe my own life will be much richer too.
Recently, the Honest Grouch has been explaining to me how the Muslims pray. And to my surprise, it reminded me of what my own spiritual teacher has been teaching me. In fact, when I looked over my old notes, I found deeper meaning in them. The words were different, but the meaning was the same.
Also, Yasmin's brave voice in Gubra touched me deeply too. SO many messages of love and understanding - won't go into details now, just want to highlight the quote at the end : "The lamps may be different, but the light is the same."
So let's embrace each other, with respect and with love.
Forever and ever, amen.
posted by 95% The Advertising Academy at 6:00 PM
4 Comments:
But people are somehow naturally bred to be negatives.
Maybe it's because we were brought up in a system that preaches prudence and thus will calculate everything based on the lowest/worst possible outcome.
Thus, most of us are naturally inclined to think negative thoughts.
Not everyone thinks positively, and not everyone tries to give others a benefit of a doubt, especially if there are stereotypes at work.
This negativity breeds hatred, hatred breeds division, and thus, we naturally do not celebrate our similarities, but we amplify our differences.
A change of mind perhaps?
Afterall, all it needs is a drop of vinegar to destroy the entire bucket of milk (or something like that)...
Negativism - a source of a good story.... heh. Need evil to see the purity of goodness. otherwise the world will be dull (and so will a STORY!)
OH BTW it's Welcome Back Mr. McDonald. I lurve the movie...and I know you do too. So, justice prevails!!!!
sometimes it takes a little heart to see the beauty of colors
and a little thinking to appreciate its uniquness
We got to be. We are species of the same virus. We multiply at an alarming rate and destroy everything we encroach upon; the land, water and air. And we are the only species that destroy our own kind. And we will keep doing it until we find and propogate a new strain that is more resilient, enlightened and constructive.
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