Comments on: Remembering September 11th and September 14th http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2009/09/11/remember-september-11th-and-september-14th/ A Voice for Tikkun Olam (healing the world) Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:04:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Derrick Kikuchi http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2009/09/11/remember-september-11th-and-september-14th/comment-page-1/#comment-1197 Derrick Kikuchi Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:08:38 +0000 http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/?p=4179#comment-1197 Thank you all for your thoughtful comments thus far. Dave, you particularly raise an important point/question concerning whitewashing the "brutal side" of God. Michael Lerner's Left Hand of God is definitely a good starting point in this discussion. "When the message of the Right Hand of God, developed for the powerless, is adopted instead by the powerful, existing inequalities and systems of oppression are ignored." (pg. 33, Introduction) I would further expand that for oppressed people who have only or primarily experienced violence against them (whether physical and/or psychological), their visualization of hope for a just world and therefore their prayers and stories will most commonly take the form of a retaliatory God. It is only in the experience of other forms of justice based in peace and healing (tikkun olam, if you will) that the language of hope changes. <a href="http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2009/08/31/psalm-73-interpreted-through-a-gay-mans-eyes/" rel="nofollow">Psalm 73</a> in Tikkun Daily reflects how the language of hope is able to change from a prayer of angry retribution to a prayer of healing. I would also more significantly use stories about transformation of hope and faith in El Salvador as an example but this is probably better for a future blog entry. Thank you all for your thoughtful comments thus far. Dave, you particularly raise an important point/question concerning whitewashing the “brutal side” of God. Michael Lerner’s Left Hand of God is definitely a good starting point in this discussion. “When the message of the Right Hand of God, developed for the powerless, is adopted instead by the powerful, existing inequalities and systems of oppression are ignored.” (pg. 33, Introduction)

I would further expand that for oppressed people who have only or primarily experienced violence against them (whether physical and/or psychological), their visualization of hope for a just world and therefore their prayers and stories will most commonly take the form of a retaliatory God. It is only in the experience of other forms of justice based in peace and healing (tikkun olam, if you will) that the language of hope changes. Psalm 73 in Tikkun Daily reflects how the language of hope is able to change from a prayer of angry retribution to a prayer of healing. I would also more significantly use stories about transformation of hope and faith in El Salvador as an example but this is probably better for a future blog entry.

]]> By: Richard Schwartz http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2009/09/11/remember-september-11th-and-september-14th/comment-page-1/#comment-1171 Richard Schwartz Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:42:44 +0000 http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/?p=4179#comment-1171 There is much about Jewish views on peace, non-violence and related issues in my chapter on peace in my book "Judaism and Global survival" at: http://jewishveg.com/JudaismAndGlobalSurvival/Peace.html At a time when the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from global climate change and many other environmental threats, it is essential that conflicts be resolved so that we can concentrate on averting the looming disaster. There is much about Jewish views on peace, non-violence and related issues in my chapter on peace in my book “Judaism and Global survival” at:

http://jewishveg.com/JudaismAndGlobalSurvival/Peace.html

At a time when the world is rapidly approaching an unprecedented catastrophe from global climate change and many other environmental threats, it is essential that conflicts be resolved so that we can concentrate on averting the looming disaster.

]]> By: Dave Belden http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2009/09/11/remember-september-11th-and-september-14th/comment-page-1/#comment-1167 Dave Belden Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:17:41 +0000 http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/?p=4179#comment-1167 I do love the army in bunny slippers. But I think you are doing a whitewash on the Biblical God, aren't you, in saying disarmament was "God's way of operating in a holy war"? One of God's ways, for sure. The others were less savory and much more bloody. I'm more attracted to the "right hand / left hand of God" analysis of Michael Lerner's which does acknowledge the brutal side of the Biblical God. I'm extremely proud to be working in Barbara Lee's district, by the way, and thank you for recalling her courage and good judgment. I do love the army in bunny slippers.
But I think you are doing a whitewash on the Biblical God, aren’t you, in saying disarmament was “God’s way of operating in a holy war”? One of God’s ways, for sure. The others were less savory and much more bloody. I’m more attracted to the “right hand / left hand of God” analysis of Michael Lerner’s which does acknowledge the brutal side of the Biblical God.
I’m extremely proud to be working in Barbara Lee’s district, by the way, and thank you for recalling her courage and good judgment.

]]> By: Gerald Socha http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/2009/09/11/remember-september-11th-and-september-14th/comment-page-1/#comment-1149 Gerald Socha Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:34:05 +0000 http://www.tikkun.org/tikkundaily/?p=4179#comment-1149 Barbara Lee exhibited a profile in courage. Her vote reminds me of John F. Kennedy's book, "Profiles in Courage." Courage is imortant in leadership. Courage for me does not mean the slaughter of God's children. Barbara Lee exhibited a profile in courage. Her vote reminds me of John F. Kennedy’s book, “Profiles in Courage.” Courage is imortant in leadership. Courage for me does not mean the slaughter of God’s children.

]]>