Comments on: Dr. Martin Luther King and Shirin Ebadi

by: The Faith Club

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 03:26:37 +0000

Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Betsy. Yes, Ebadi is a voice for non-violence, and especially she is a voice for the just treatment of all human beings. As for other voices today…I know there are many small ones, like the groups working for peace in Darfur, an end to capital punishment in the U.S. and the end to persecution everywhere. I agree that revenge is an idol, or even a human vanity, and sadly one that propelled us into the Iraq War.
Suzanne Oliver

by: Betsy

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:44:16 +0000

I’ve heard of Ebadi, but have not read anything by her. Will be looking to find more.
I think perhaps the movie Gandhi - the one with Ben Kingsley - should be a movie viewed yearly by those trying to be the peace they want in the world. Truly an amazing film. I taught “peace studies” at a local university and was amazed at the lack of knowledge people have 1. of their own faith and 2 of the faith of others. Rather than knowedge, we all seem to work on a level of fear and vengeance. Sometimes, I think America’s biggest problem is not whether the Republicans or Democrats are in power, not whether we are losing our “family values”, not the huge and injust disparities between the rich and poor - all are huge issues, but the need for vengeance - the righteous need to destroy the ‘other’ is destroying our very humanity.
This is true when we realize we have more people per capita in prison than any other country and our prision system is brutal and has given up any possibility of rehabilitation. . We are training our own domestic terrorists ( criminals) with such a system. At any rate the very idea of abandoning a “holy vengeance” - whether is is Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu - seems almost outside our vision. Gandhi did it, MLK did it and huge social change occurred with their non violenct discipline. I am interested in reading Ebadi - Is she the voice of such non violence for us all. Who are others in the religious world?
Who is calling us away from some sort of holy retribution and toward God. I think revenge is an idol that keeps us from God.

by: Len

Mon, 15 Jan 2007 16:30:11 +0000

Thanks Suzanne. I just heard you for the first time (along with Ranya Idliby and Priscilla Warner on The Diane Rheem Show.) Nice job. Wonderful to hear your stories and about the important work you are doing. On this day it is good to remember the prophetic life of Martin Luther King and name the important prophetic wisdom lived through Shirin Ebadi. As I write this (not far from TCU!) my 6 & 8 year old daughters are in the flow of “free play.” There is a deep wisdom in the experience of parenting and bearing witness to the wonder of children. I pray we will awaken to that wisdom worldwide and that it will help us all find open windows to a contemplative way to a just and lasting peace. Bless all three of you and your families for the inspired work you are doing/living!