The Next Step To Non-Violence

I just finished watching the movie "Budrus", which was screened at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. It is a documentary about a Palestinian village's success applying non-violent resistance.

Israel decided to build a wall and fence between Israel and the West Bank, in an attempt to get a handle on the number of suicide bombings by Palestinian extremists. So far the fence seems to have worked quite well, as some suggest the number of bombings has dropped by more than 90%.

Budrus is the story of the village with that name, where - for reasons nobody knows - it was decided to build the wall in a way, that it would totally encircle this plus several other villages. Also, significant damage to the villagers' olive trees was necessary, following the planned route. Now, these trees are not just some ornamental decorations, but the source of most of the income of the villagers. For them, it was a matter of survival.

What ensued - and is beautifully documented in the movie - is the struggle of the villagers to safe their olive trees.



Lessons Learned



First of all, this is a text-book example for how much more effective and less costly non-violent measures are. Although there have been some injuries, there have not been any casualties. And, given the number of demonstrations and the duration of several months, not a single serious injury is quite an amazing accomplishment!

The movie pointed out another aspect, that is worsening problems around the globe: While the demonstrations were non-violent, the Israeli TV news report painted a war-scene: deserted street, a car-wreck. Soldiers shooting their guns. Teargas drifting. Anybody watching the report must think that there is some serious fighting going on! Clearly an attempt to misinform the public.

Tell me, how in the world should anybody really understand a situation - not to talk about finding a solution to it - when the media reports gossip instead of news?

That, BTW, is the core issue here in the USA, too. Most AM talk-shows and tv-channels like Fox and others do not report facts, but try to paint any picture in the colors that they think their viewers want to see. And we, the viewers, then base our opinions and view-points on these slanted, distorted caricatures of "reality" (or better irreality, sometimes even surreality)! No wonder, we are the only country in the developed world, where the general population is still in denial about climate change, and the fact that is is caused by us humans... But, let me get off this soapbox, as this is not my topic today... :)



Next Step After Non-Violence



Most interesting to me is, that there is an important insight that this documentary helps the viewer to realize. And I believe, it is the second step to the idea of non-violence!

Everybody that was interviewed, explained the situation from their perspective. Nobody made any attempt to see it from the other's viewpoint.

The Israeli captain said the lives of Israeli civilians is more important than an olive tree. Of course! But, is it more important to run the fence right here and not over there? Is the source of income (and with that survival) of a family more important than the exact route planned by some bureaucrat 100 km away?

The Palestinians lamented, that they hadn't done anything, and are just trying to live peacefully, bringing up their children. How can the Israelis just go and uproot the family's source of income, which the grandfather has planted with his own hands, carrying the water on his head to water them? True, too! But, how could Israel not try to put an end to the suicide bombings executed by the villager's fellow-Palestinians?.

They both have valid points. And they both fought thinking God was on their side.

And, like to be expected, it looks like they will fight each other happily forever after...



The Only Path To Peace



The first step to stop the bleeding is the decision to not use violence anymore. This is usually a consequence of the realization, that violence always - A-L-W-A-y-S! - leads to more violence. In the short term it might look like something was achieved, but really it just hardens the problem, and delays the explosion. Violence never solves a problem, but increases it and creates another one!

After deciding to not want violence anymore, the next step is to find a consensus. Not a compromise - consensus! A compromise is a middle ground, but could be felt unjust by either or even both parties. And another clash is just a matter of time. (Look at WW2 as textbook example of such a clash after the WWI peace treaty). A consensus is a situation, that both parties can live with.

The only way for two parties to find a consensus is when they start looking at the situation through the other's eyes.

Any person, who feels their family and friends are endangered to be blown to pieces, would try to find some way to prevent that from happening - no matter how. Once Palestinians allow themselves to see this easy to understandable fact, they'll know what to do and what not.

Any person, who depends on an olive tree as source of income would never, ever think about uprooting a good tree - no matter what. Once Israelis allow themselves to understand that fact, they, too, will know what to do and what not.

Once I see and understand a problem of the other person, I automatically start thinking about how could I help solving this problem.

And it is quite plain to see, that the Israelis can not stop Hamas - no matter how much money and technology and humans they put into it. Only the Palestinians themselves can do that. But they can do that only, once they realize that Hamas is not the solution, but the cause of the problem.

In the same vein, it is also plain to see, that Palestinian extremists can not make Israel go away - no matter how many of their young men they brainwash into becoming suicide bombers.

If these two peoples want to live in peace, they can do so only if all of them have peace. Both need to accept that the other has a right to exist, and both have to allow each other to live and pursue their peaceful happiness.



No matter what happened in the past - an a minute ago is past - only what we do now matters, as it defines the future. Every minute we can decide anew whether we want to continue to fight, or whether we want to move towards peace.



The Real Message of This Post



Ok, now take this lesson and apply it to your own life! Look at your relationships - with your partner, your parents, siblings and children, your boss and coworkers, clients and suppliers. Ha! That's much harder, isn't it, than talking about something that's going on half a world away! Well, there's only little animosities that is separating you from the people in your life - not violent deaths of loved ones, threats to your existence, traumatic experiences with incarceration and torture. So, how much easier should it be for you and me to fix our wars, than for the Israeli and Palestinians to figure out theirs!



I find, that the same principles apply on the personal as on the national and global scale: violence, threats, manipulation, and force always - A-L-W-A-Y-S - backfire and never move you towards a solution. Love and compassion are the only way. And trying to see the world through the other person's eyes is the first step towards being able to understand the other, which is the basis for real compassion...

Love is the answer! To any question!

The "Free Tibet" Question - A New Approach

In the previous article, I suggested that the Chinese atrocity inflicted upon the Tibetans over the last more than 50 years, is helping the development of the rest of the world. Due to the Tibetan diaspora the Dalai Lama is known everywhere, and invited to speak across the globe. Tibetan Buddhism, today, is no longer found only in the remote areas around the Himalayas, but in every country. And although Buddhism is not the final answer, some aspects of it appears to be one step further than the Abrahamic religions - especially, when looking at the behaviors that result from their core-messages. So it now being available to much of the world is clearly a better state than before.

While the Christians still ask how God can allow these bad things happening to these good people, and while Buddhists just accept that it is happening, the Tool of the Universe idea provides a simple, plausible explanation, an important purpose: it was an effective way of spreading the light!



In this article, I would like to look at the response to the Tibet crisis from these three core perspectives:

The Christians don't find an answer to their question, and assume it was a mistake of God, which they now try to fix. Interestingly, they try to fix it by applying pressure to and fighting with China. That doesn't sound to be an expression of love - which Jesus always recommended. And - as quite common with forceful approaches - it hasn't work at all.

The Buddhists just accept the situation and do nothing but continue their life. (Well, some of them follow the Christian approach, too - abandoning their own core recommendation). That seems a better approach than to fight, as it doesn't create additional pain and suffering. However, it doesn't alleviate the ongoing pain and suffering of the Tibetans still stuck in the situation either.

When it rains it doesn't make sense to fight the fact that it is raining, nor is it necessary to just stand there. Walking to a shelter until it stops might work better.

In alignment with that analogy, the Tool of the Universe idea, does not encourage to fight, nor just to leave it as is. Instead, it asks to look for the purpose of the situation and for a shelter for those impacted. When there is a purpose for a situation, we can determine a direction for our course of action: Enlightenment is needed in the world, and was brought closer to everybody through the Tibetan diaspora.

The Tool of the Universe approach suggests to make the next step in this apparent direction: Let's make sure we maximize the positive benefits of the situation!



One action in alignment with this idea would be to work towards establishing Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in every country of the world. These monasteries could also function as cultural centers for both the population of the host country and the displaced Tibetans, who could resettle in the vicinities of these monasteries. That way, Tibetans are not left cutoff from their roots, and at the same time, it would be possible for them to live a fulfilled and dignified life. Also, it would take a lot of pressure off the Nepalese community, who is currently carrying the heaviest load, by hosting a disproportionately large number of refugees.

So instead of trying to fight the Chinese to retreat from Tibet, it might make more sense to try to work with them to allow those Tibetans who want to leave, to leave in peace. At the same time, supporters of the Tibetan cause in every country around the world could work with their government and fellow citizens to find a way to enable a Tibetan community in their midst.

The lessons that we all could learn from this are very, very important and relevant for today's political landscape:
* Cooperation works better than fighting.
* Foreign culture is not a threat to our own existence.
* While mono-culture causes stagnation, mixing cultures stirs up discussion, and facilitates new insights, development and growth.
* People from the other side of the world are the same as us: kind, loving, and with the same needs and wants: to survive, to be loved and appreciated, to live a fulfilled life.



Going by what every documentary about Tibet states, that area is quite inhospitable to human existence. So, hey, let the Chinese deal with it, trying to live there. Let the lucky Tibetans go to other places in the world, were surviving is much easier and where they are welcome and appreciated.

And who knows, without all the pressure, maybe China will open up their firm grip a little over time, and Tibetan monasteries will be allowed again in Tibet sometime...



Disclaimer and clarification: What the Chinese have done to the Tibetans - and continue to do - is disgusting and deplorable! However, we are not innocent either: If we were not so stuck in our spiritual development, such major crisis would not be necessary. Secondly, Buddhism is not the end of the spiritual journey, but just a first step.

The "Free Tibet" Question - A New Perspective

Yesterday, I watched a documentary about the Tibetan people and their history of the last 50 years.

What really struck me was one monk's statement. He referred to the ancient Hindu/Jain/Buddhist concept of Karma. Every action has a consequence, and ones present situation is a consequence of past actions of this and previous lives. The monk mused that he must have done some pretty bad stuff in his previous lives, and that today, I this current live, he's working it off. There is no point in lamenting about it, one just has to accept what is and try to make the best of it.

The documentary also mentioned, that Buddhists believe, that the spirit of an animal will eventually incarnate as a human. As a consequence, Tibetans have a deep love and respect for animals.

I would like to invite you compare this attitude to the one prevalent in the culture influenced by the Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). There, the teachings suggest that the humans are "the crown of creation", and that "God gave humans dominion over the rest of creation". As a result, Jews, Christians and Muslims display an utter disrespect and thoughtlessness towards not just animals, but the whole creation - even most other human cultures and humans. Jews feel they are God's chosen people. Muslims kill those that don't believe their flavor of Islam. And Christians conveniently forget, misinterpret, or just simply ignore Jesus' commandment to "love your neighbor".



Let's look at the situation of the Tibetans from the "Tool of the Universe" perspective, which suggests that the Universe is utilizing humans to continue the development of the creation:

There is this group of people living in this remote, isolated area between the Himalayas and China. Among them developed a spiritual community and understanding that values the rest of the world. They accept what is, and try to make the best of it. Much of the rest of the world's population still lives in the spiritual Dark Ages, and behaves accordingly - destroying the planet and everything that's on and in it. If you were the Universe, what would you try to do to help the rest of the world? I would try to find a way to spread the understanding of the Tibetans across the globe.

The Chinese invasion has accomplished exactly that! The Dalai Lama, of whom hardly anybody knew 50+ years ago in the western world (the part, that needs enlightenment the most!), today is a household name. Buddhism since has spread across the globe.



Disclaimer and clarification: What the Chinese have done to the Tibetans - and continue to do - is disgusting and deplorable! However, we are not innocent either: If we were not so stuck in our spiritual development, such major crisis would not be necessary. Secondly, Buddhism is not the end of the spiritual journey, but just a first step.